Mysteries and our knowledge of them A Text in my indgement as befitting this auditory as my selfe for this my first assay Wee sit all here by the well-spring of Wisdome and science most of vs may hereafter serue at the altar in Gods owne house It is not amisse that we know our limits as also consider our strengths Vnder the old law the Levite might goe farther into the Temple then the Lay and a Priest then the Levite so in these points concerning the mysticall temple Apoc. 21. 22. One may wade farther then another but as there none could enter into the chiefest sanctuary saue onely the high Priest so neither here hath any full accesse into the secrets of these mysteries but only our high Priest and Saviour Christ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Colos 2. 3. As for vs as long as we abide in this life we must be satisfied with a meaner knowledge of such things with certaine glympses at most like benighted travailers who if the moone hap to be ouerclouded are content with star-light Now to the only wise God who is able to doe aboue that which we can either speake or imagine be ascribed all glory power praise and dominion this day and foreuer Amen FINIS TOVCHING CHVRCH-SCHISMES ROM 16. VER 17. Brethren marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and avoid them SCarcely had our Apostle here laid the grounds of Christian religion but it presently meetes on each side with strong opposers The Diuell was straight wayes ready to excite erroneous and factious spirits against the truth What Poets faigne of hate and contentions beside their Iupiter's palace is really true of the house of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eager debates closely still as 't were environ the Church Alwaies there bee who like the Dragon Apoc. 12. 4. are ready to devoure it euen in its birth Neither yet doth this so inbred enmity betwixt the patrons of truth and errour happen without God's especiall allowance For first hereby hee sifts and winnowes all alike As many as settle firmely together he takes for solid graine but those who are carried away with each blast of new doctrine for fruitlesse chaffe They neuer were sincerely orthodox but either temporizing formalists or at most coldly devoted Againe by this he keepes his elect from rust and an over secure ease out of loue hee permits them not to slumber in such a tranquility as might at length produce some hurtfull effect Calamitas saith he in Minutius virtutum disciplina est Crosses and all kinds of opposition doe not so much afflict Gods Saints as truely exercise them Thus doth the Lord effect the good of his chosen by the hands of malignant Schismaticks But notwithstanding though he deale so in prouidence yet their offence and guilt is nothing thereby abated For in the third to the Philipp the Apostle plainely affirmeth such to be evill workers very dogges v. 3. In the 18th v. he termes them enimies of the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction v. 19. and here in my Text he iudgeth them vnworthy euen of the solace and benefit of humane commerce Brethren marke them which c. My Text like to those shafts of the holy candlesticke vpon euery word beares knops of flowers please you then to take notice of First the thing here spoken against namely divisions and offences in the Church Secondly their more especiall property which is to be contrary to some doctrine afore learned thirdly the persons or those who cause them Fourthly the manner how such disturbers must be delt with First marke then avoid them Lastly on the other side the entire and mutuall agreement among true professors or as it is here their brotherhood Of these orderly in that method I haue proposed and first concerning divisions and offences themselues There is nothing which doth more preserue the world in being then vnity and agreement It is the stay and bond of every thing by how much the neerer they participate of this by so much the more they enioy a certaine existence Zoroaster as implying God that first and chiefest vnity termes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matrix or fountaine within which all things be originally concluded Except in nature the heauens did embrace this globe below vnlesse here the elements did combine thus louingly as they doe so stately a fabricke could not long subsist it must needs loose its being because it should loose its harmony In matter of policy consent of minds legally disposed makes a state without this it remaines no longer a state but a rude and vngoverned desart To speake in the phrase of moderne Philosophy mutuall concord is forma totalis that which wholy giues a body politicke both life and beauty But aboue all in the house or Church of God seemes this vnitie of greatest value One Lord one Faith one Baptisme wee finde commended Ephes 4. 5. As in the structure of the old tabernacle by loopes taches were the curtaines aptly conioyned so in the antitype namely the Church doth this spirit of Vnity diffusing it selfe throughout the parts knit them vp into an entire frame This being so sithence each where a concord is so requisite but most in the Church how fowly doe they trespasse that breake this bond with what sharpnesse deserue they to be handled who breed diuisions The Fathers amidst their writings doe presse no one point more frequently or eagerly then this Every where they take occasion after St Pauls manner as well to condemne all rents and Schismes as extoll a Christian like accord Optatus in a word makes such diuisions Summum malorum a crime so heinous as that none can match it And indeed if you rightly weigh the examples of Gods wrath and punishments you will not much mislike his iudgment In the 4th of Gen. when Cain had slaine his brother God onely markes him and lets him goe nay hee is iealous least any might kill Cain v. 15. To that great and sacrilegious city of Ninive what doth he Only Ionas is sent to teach and warne them Insteed of ruine comes a gentle embassage But for Corath and his complices those mutiners in the tribe of Levi behold a suddaine destruction the earth openeth and entombes them aliue whence it followes not without some shew of probability that Church-Schismes more displease the Lord then either murther or sacrilege Austin yet goes farther for in his 50th Ep. discoursing about the obstinacy of the factious Donatists he chargeth them with no lesse a sinne then with that of the holy ghost But the heinousnesse of divisions will better appeare if we examine them First in their obiect It is no slight or vulgar argument perchance in the disquiry of such points dissent may afford greater profit namely by exercising the wit then a present accord But it is religion that prop of mans conscience and path to blisse Vpon
gaine entrance But as the Lord commands touching land-markes Deut. 10. v. 24. not to remoue them because they haue there beene anciently erected so in Church affaires 't is best that old and authenticke decisions doe still prevaile Are wee wiser then our Fathers Or is our vnderstanding beyond the ancients If in a common weale as the Philosopher noteth former lawes should not hastily giue place to new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least by often changing their respect be somewhat impaired much lesse in positions of a Christian beliese It causeth the mindes of men to wauer much it begets scruples and offences which our Apolstle also here condemneth Others at least in shew approue the receiued Cannons but no otherwise then for their own advantage vnder pretext of those generall rules they vent some priuate and moderne conceipts It was a diuise saith Seneca concerning his times of many lewd and riotous liuers to cloake their luxury by pretending to the Epicurean sect Thus they shrowd their wrong and false opinions in the Churches bosome not deriving a meaning from thence but fastning there one vpon it how much better were it if they left the Cannons free and still vnbounded For by thus drawing them downe into a more particular sense they haue troubled the Church with needlesse disquiries Constantine the geeat speaking vnto the Nieene counsell is bold to call those disputes betweene Arius and Alexander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vaine and fruitlesse debate Rather then the catholique peace should suffer disturbance hee disliketh an exact discussion euen in a point of faith I dare not prescribe vniuersally an implicit beliefe not such an one as seales vp the vnderstanding whilst it kindles a blinde zeale yet happily in doubts which grow besides the foundation it may well suffice The woman diseased of a bloody flux Mark 5. v. 25. couets onely to touch Christs garment shee stands not vpon circumstances how or whence an healing vertue should flow neither need wee perchance to dig so particularly into those positions which our forefathers haue left vndetermined At once it costs more anxiety then it can afford either content or gaine Well then let both principles of Church tenents Scripture stand in force as Aarons rod eat vp those wherewith the Aegyptians contended they will discountenance and consume any vpstart issue of falshood for by the way you may note errors and truth doe not spring vp alike this leasurely and with a lingring encrease that hastily like the sunne in his westerne course which cuts most nimbly about the line but as there the sunne proceeds but slowly in degrees farther distant so here doe errors after their first bruit and flourish if the ancient grounds be still vpheld if we retaine this defence to withstand their onset I haue shewed you the maine property of Schismes a dangerous quality you see in a Christian estate for as Sampson did to ouerwhelme the Philistins Iud. 18. 29. it puls away both Pillars wherevpon the Church is founded Now afterwards you haue thus had their property it remaines that in my third point I decypher their subiect to wit the persons or those which cause them It is true that as the Lord hath planted a vineyard so hath he hedged and fenct it rouud But what can possibly keepe out malitious Schismaticks Euer and anon they breake through this fence dispoyling miserably so precious a ground plot And this they doe either from an inward corruption of nature or else induced by some externall motiues concerning their nature you may note them to haue beene men commonly of a fierce abrupt temper St Paul I am sure describes them so 2 Tim. 3. Of this humour as Tertullian witnesseth was Hermogenes of old naturâ turbulentus a fit materiall to frame an hereticke Not vnlike vnto him wee finde Novatus in Cyprian one who more esteemed his owne will and fancy then the quiet of the Church such men goe on in a violent course whereso ere they appeare raising some storme or tempest they carry indeed fire in their Censors yet not to sacrifice but to kindle publicke debates Farre better doth S. Iames instruct such with patience and and meeknesse of wisdom Iam. 3. 13. Neither yet as I said want they outward fewell to encrease this inbred aptnesse First here occurs an hope of honour advancement This as one speakes of beauty hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it distorts and drawes the sight besides the truth when Alcimus 1 Mac. 7. affected the high-priesthood hee calls in the Syrians to backe his suite not without extreame hazard of the Iewish estate no otherwise doe they rather then misse of dignities they 'le endanger the Church with forren tenents any way shall helpe before they will sit vntitled We reade of Arrius as otherwise of a good honest man his fault was somewhat too aspiring a minde It is so with most they square not their drifts by religion but religion by their drifts of eminency or profit Secondly by this as they conceaue they much enhance their fame To bee the author or revivour of some nicer Doctrine must needs seeme a master peice of no vsuall knowledge Indeed the Apostle himselfe Rom. 15. 29. forbares to build the Gospell vpon grounds forelaid This hee did to avoide emergent scandals but they for by respects least they bee thought a meere accession of anothers wit or credit Yet here obserue their grosse mistake Truth saith the Philosopher as likewise vertue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing of small and narrow extent But as for errors they ly in multitudes and troupes round about If then in so vast a number of fashoods they pitch vpon one what glory is it If missing the center they pricke each part of the circle else To bolt an errour then is no hard exploit And as its beginnning is thus prompt and easy so also is the maintaining of it once begun Insooth falshhood in point of religion commonly someway toucheth vpon the deepest mysteries it will be sure of a cause pregnāt enough wherein to deale Pelagianisme how doth it in close those large queries concerning gods power and hidden decree As therefore marriners wont for to say giue them winde and Sea roome they feare no shipwracke so in such open and boundlesse disputes it may argue a shallow braine that is quickly graueled if nere so prest he finde not still scope as well to decline the aduersary as to reinforce his tenents A last incentiue here may bee an itching desire in men of seeming actiue rather then rest vnbusied they will doe some vnnecessary mischiefe It pleaseth them greatly in their pride of wit to behold those combustions which themselues haue caused The associates of Catiline in his conspiracy against Rome were the more forward saith the historian vt quiet a mouerent that at least they might vnsettle a state so well composed many endeauour a disturbance of the christian peace for no serious intendment
they raise debates that they may bee said to haue raised them like hote furious spirits abroad who delight soly in fights and vproares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meere louers of strife Vpon these motiues fore cited doe Schismaticks chiefly vndermine the Churches vnity men otherwise oftimes of no meane esteeme and worth But as it was said of Curio the tribune that he was facundus sed malo publico euen so they in truth seeme able and sufficiently learned but it is to the Churches annoyance whilst they imploy those gifts perversly with which they might haue aduanced the common good Yet also giue me leaue if a little I misdoubt such if I iudge them not throughly sound at heart In 13. Nehem. v. 33. where the Israelitish parents mix with the women of Ashdod the children speake an vncertaine idiome halfe the Ammonitish language and halfe the Iewish examine their tracts and discourses aright they may seeme the issue of a mixt faith Religion if once ambiguous cannot choose but betray it selfe some sparkles will here breake forth though neuer so carefully supprest wherefore as Iosuah asked the angell Ios 5. v. 13. art thou for vs or for our aduersaries Let me likewise demand whose part take they for now by walking so doubtfully and in a mist they merit applause from neither side more reason there is that they bee refused of both Saint Hierome somewhere speaking touching such neutrals the Hebionites Dum volunt saith he Iudaei Christiani esse nec sunt Iudaei nec Christiani whilst they hang betweene two sects they deserue to bee ranked no where meere batts in religion are they as nature hath placed these as t were in no certaine degree either of beastes or foules thus they for there ambiguous profession may hardly be numbred among Christians in any ranck You haue seene the subiect of divisions briefly displai'd persons very contagious in the Church and as Miriam long since a Schismaticke too leprous throughout It is not vnseasonable if therefore in my fourth point I prescribe the Apostles caution which is first marke then avoid them What our Saviour forespake touching false teachers Math. 7. 15. seemes not more true in regard of their demeanour then of their preaching doctrine They come indeed clothed with sheepes clothing cover'd ouer with a pretended shew both of truth and zeale Hard it is in so neere a likelyhood to discerne where they conforme to the truth and where they breake off St Ignatius for this termes them sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatures hauing though no more yet a Christian outside elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exact and able counterfeits Came they drest in their proper shape we might the more easily keepe safe it were no difficult taske to eschew their infectious tenents A wound if open and apparant may be quickly cured that especially is dangerous where the soare lies hid or the passage proues inuolu'd Well doe Schismaticks conceaue the weaknesse of their cause should they attempt to obtrude their falshoods vpoÌ„ the Church in their naked deformity it were a vaine designe Errours be naturally displeasing to the vnderstanding whereas truth is no lesse outwardly pleasing then admirable in it selfe Therefore they colour varnish ouer their absurdities with ounning deceipt First they refute one bad opinion that they may set vp a worse Eutiches you knowe would needs maintaine a confusion of natures in Christ now this he vndertooke saith Flavianus vnder pretence of confuting Nestorius who held oppositely as much amisse Are there none now which cry downe Puritanisme whereby to establish Papisme Is there no such new stratagem Yea farther are there not those who deale with religion in a sense inverted as David did with king Achish 1. Sam. 27. vnder shew of fighting against the Philistins our adversaries they fall vpon their countries faith Another way they haue of intermingling truth with errour Amidst their discourses they craftily mix some drams of verity to commend the rest nay so they doe more hurt and dâ—â—plier infect Poyson if given in wine or hony pierceth the veines with greater violence even thus falshood sweetned with a relish of truth eats most dangerously into the bowels of the Church A third devise is by faigning of some good intent whilst they labour a breach in christianity to make shew of a desired vnity and peace Arminius euen then when hee was forging those opinions vpon which such endlesse troubles haue ensuech compos'de a treatise touching a generall reconcilement like Ioab to Amasa 2. Sam. 20. at once hee offers embraces to the Church and stabs it More shifts besides they skill of to obscure their malitious drifts There want not infinite tractlesse mazes wherein they can lurke vndiscerned so as what a petty historian speakes of the Ligurians inhabiting bogs and bushy places Maior aliquanto labor erat invenire quà m vincere may be here applied It is easier to convince their errours then perfectly trace it out Not in vaine then are we bid to marke obserue we ought their subtle passages mudding still the streame wheresoer'e they goe neither yet is this enough after we haue thus descried their falshoods we must also avoid and shun them what communion hath light with darknesse saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 6. In the 1. of Gen. v. 4. no sooner had God created light but in the same v. he diuides them straight wee are though not light yet the children of light and therefore must be carefull least by mixing with the sonnes of errour our light be dim'd and weakned How seriously diligent were the primitiue Fathers in declining such How watchfull to represse them Should I here recount their various edicts and provisoes framed therevpon I might happily make more vse of reading then of moderation and iudgement Only for a tast you may from the course of Ecclesiasticall stories gather a treble censure thus disposed First they inflicted vpon them abstension or as I may say incommunication with the Church Next a positiue eiection else deposition from their clericall degree at length if both these reclaim'd them not the vtter Anathema Adde here to those seuerer cautions of the Apostolicke Synode that men rightly orthodox might not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not ioyne in prayer with such Can. 44. of the Laodicean not to deale with them or vse commerce Can. 57. So carefull were those ancient sages least a contagious Schismaticke if let alone might perchance infect the whole Christian flocke It may be in former times there appeared greater danger About the first plantation of the Gospell we finde in truth heresies more rife and frequent Satan was then most busie that he might choak vp the word before it tooke sure root Thus Mat. 13. 25. the envious one presently sowes his cockle as soone as the owner had ended Notwithstanding although such Church diseases be now lesse pregnant yet are they poysonous still alike A mixing of things vnwholsome with pure corrupts as much as
text The good Samaritan in the 10th of Luke deliuered two pence to the host for the wounded traueller two pence saith Optatus that is Christ hath bequeathed vnto vs for our soules health both lawes the old and the new He promiseth there that what should be laid out more if not lauishly perchance or idely he would see it discharged so may wee for our sober disputes either vpon or besides the word expect a recompence but if they appeare superfluous or repugnant they be no longer descants but sinfull devises Humane inuentions then come short of a diuine authority they may serue vs for illustrations but not for a ground and rule vpon the word as touching that efficacy which they haue must they be builded also either expresse as there apparent or at least elicitiuè as being thence fairely and handsomly deduced If wee containe within this compasse wee shall bee as wise as safe but if wee fly out and follow our fancies it remaineth that we straight vanish in them For euen thus did that lewd rable of the Gnostici they set the scriptures aside saith Iraeneus betaking themselues to their proper coniectures The Psalmist oft'time likneth the word of God vnto a path or way nay it is via Regia as one styleth it the high way to blisse now most commonly vpon each side of such waies there bee ditches and miery bogs so here on either hand the word ly heresies and numberles errours dangerous to bee slipt iuto it is best then to keepe the beaten and trodded way the word But againe sometimes the Lord speaketh as well by Vrim and Thummim as hee doth in the written word for he hath not tied himselfe so strictly vnto the word but that hee can if he please vary the manner of his communication with his beloued Saints Our Fathers in the first nonage of the Church well vnderstood the benefit of this a dreame or vision to them did as easily cleere each doubt as either their owne weaknesse or the occurrency of businesse could suggest it But to auouch the truth now in these later dayes such extraordinary meanes of grace bee well nigh out of late Prophecy reuelation tongues with other gifts we finde conioyn'd 1 Cor. 12. Since as there appeareth no miracle of tongues or prophecy neither is it to be beleeued that revelations are very frequent Hauing Moses and the Scriptures wee may not expect new messages from the dead nor yet from aboue Calvin is confident to vpbraid Such pretended Enthusiasts with downeright madnesse minus errore agitantur quam rabie they be not saith hee so much mistaken as quite distracted when as therefore I make reuelation a rule of our wisdome it is indeed in it felfe but not so vsually if we respect the present age it is if it were but this no way causeth it to be Our best Enthusiasmes now must bee our prayers and diligence in the sacred word Trie then at least wee must the spirits as St Iohn warneth vs least a dreame or idle conceipt delude vs with the esteeme of a classicke reuelation least as Nathan did once in counselling Dauid such Prophets speake without the Ephod for what draue Tertullian more effectually vpon Montanisme And if you pervse the good father Saint Cyprian as for Visions hee may seeme to credit them ouermuch so apt are men to rely on the slights of fancy raising miracles out of the braine when those of the hands be ceased yea in former times this liberty of imagination grew so far as into a sect of Hereticks termed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who could as they thought by helpe of diuine illumination expound the Scriptures vpon first sight As Samuel then being called by God himselfe once or twice mistooke the sound for old Elies voice Sam. 1. 3. so must we be carefull that contrariwise we entertaine not some crotchet of mans braine for a diuine Enthusiasme Notwithstanding all this if hauing examined such inspirations by the touch of sacred writ wee finde them accordingly a rule they may be yet here againe you must note what reuelations I meane not new vnheard of respectu doctrinae reuelatae as the Papists would lessening thereby the sufficiency of the word but new respectu actus reuelandi such onely as informe vs in matters of fact not encrease the Canon of our faith such alone may be the guide of the wisdome here discussed The summe of all that hath beene spoken hitherto is this It is to be wished that we had no occasion to deale vpon such deepe mysteries at all since our life is fraile and our ayme eternall blisse it were expedient that we endeauoured more to become pious then subtill and acute Epictetus the Stoicke could once complaine of his time whereas saith he there be two parts of Philosophy the first and more especiall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a practise of wholsome precepts well digested the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speculatiue and curious disquiry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we haue quite inuerted the course How many now a daies frame their diuiner studies after this method How doe they chiefly intend sublimer though fruitlesse controversies yea and moreouer which is as bad oft times those here vndertake these points whose shoulders for such a burden be most vnfit Fight ye not with small or great saue onely with the king af Israel was the charge of the Syrian king to the Captaines of his host 2. Chron. 18. Even so there be who as soone as they can but spell in diuinity fasten alone vpon the greatest difficulties whereby it commeth to passe that they cleere not the doubts which they take in hand but rather betray their owne weaknesse Or secondly since by reason of our insulting adversaries on either side some must needs looke into these points it is meete that wee dispose our selues with a graue consideration of this afore hand Daniel before he receaued those strange visions fasted three whole weekes Dan. 10. 3. And Iamblychus the Pythagorean relateth how the Aegyptian Priests went to prepare themselues for their supposed Enthusiasmes with musicke and abstinence I vrge not this for example sake but only to shew with what reuerence we should addresse our selues to so diuine a taske not rudely setting vpon it but with mature aduice Besides in the enterprize it selfe let vs vse great sobriety avoiding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. or nice acutenesse a fault vnseemly each where as well in religion as in other arts for which Minerva is feigned to hate the Spider because she spinneth too curious a web In a word let vs evermore submit fancie to reason reason to faith both to Gods word or his especiall revelation These two be that helping glasse of our knowledge here or double spectacle of which Saint Paule speaketh Now wee see through a glasse darkely but then face to face And thus I haue though weakly made vp a discourse concerning Divine