Cursing the Godly with Bell Book and Candle as also in Absolving the Reprobate which are known to be unworthy of any Christian Society Whereof they that Lust to see Examples let them search their Lives To be short look what our Saviour Christ pronounced of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel the same may be boldly and with safe Conscience pronounced of the Bishops of Rome namely that they have forsaken and daily do forsake the Commandments of God to erect and set up their own Constitutions Which thing being true as all they which have any light of Gods Word must needs confess we may well conclude according to the Rule of Augustin That the Bishops of Rome and their adherents are not the true Church of Christ much less then to be taken as chief Heads and Rulers of the same Whosoever saith he do dissent from the Scriptures concerning the Head August contra Petilian Donatist Ep. cap. 4. although they be found in all places where the Church is appointed yet are they not in the Church a plain place concluding directly against the Church of Rome Where is now the Holy Ghost which they so stoutly claim to themselves Where is now the Spirit of Truth that will not suffer them in any wise to err If it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then is it at Rome otherwise it is but a vain brag and nothing else St. Paul as you have heard before saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his And by turning the words it may be truly said If any man be not of Christ the same hath not the Spirit Now to discern who are truly his and who not we have this Rule given us that his Sheep do always hear his Voice And St. John saith John 10. John 8. He that is of God heareth Gods Word Whereof it followeth that the Popes in not hearing Christs voice as they ought to do but preferring their own decrees before the express Word of God do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possessed with his Spirit But here they all alledge for themselves that there are divers necessary Points not expressed in holy Scripture John 16. which were left to the Revelation of the Holy Ghost Who being given to the Church according to Christs promise hath taught many things from time to time which the Apostles could not then bear To this we may easily Answer by the plain words of Christ teaching us that the proper Office of the Holy Ghost is not to institute and bring in new Ordinances contrary to his Doctrin before taught but shall come and declare those things which he had before taught John 16. so that it might be well and truly understood When the Holy Ghost saith he shall come he shall lead you into all truth What truth doth he mean Any other than he himself had before expressed in his Word John 16. No. For he saith He shall take of mine and shew unto you Again he shall bring you in remembrance of all things that I have told you It is not then the Duty and part of any Christian under pretence of the Holy Ghost to bring in his own Dreams and Phantasies into the Church but he must diligently provide that his Doctrin and Decrees be agreeable to Christs holy Testament otherwise in making the Holy Ghost the Author thereof he doth Blaspheme and Belie the Holy Ghost to his own Condemnation Now to leave their Doctrin and to come to other Points What shall we think or judge of the Popes intolerable Pride The Scripture saith that God resisteth the Proud and sheweth grace to the Humble Also it pronouceth them blessed which are Poor in Spirit Matt. 5. Matt. 14. promising that they which humble themselves shall be exalted And Christ our Saviour willeth all his to learn of him because he is humble and meek As for Pride St. Gregory saith it is the Root of all Mischief And St. Augustin's judgment is this that it maketh Men Devils Can any Man then which either hath or shall read the Popes Lives justly say that they had the Holy Ghost within them First as touching that they will be termed Universal Bishops and Heads of all Christian Churches through the World we have the judgment of Gregory expresly against them Lib. 3. Epist 76.78 who writing to Mauritius the Emperor condemneth John Bishop of Constantinople in that behalf calling him the Prince of Pride Lucifers Successor and the fore runner of Antichrist Serm. 3. de resur Dom. St. Bernard also agreeing thereunto saith What greater Pride can there be than that one Man should prefer his own judgment before the whole Congregation as though he only had the Spirit of God Dialogorum lib. 3. And Chrysostom pronounceth a terrible sentence against them affirming plainly that whosoever seeketh to be chief in Earth shall find confusion in Heaven and that he which striveth for the Supremacy shall not be reputed among the Servants of Christ Again he saith To desire a good work it is good Chrysost sup Mat. but to covet the chief degree of Honor it is meer Vanity Do not these places sufficiently convince their outragious Pride in Usurping to themselves a Superiority above all other as well Ministers and Bishops as Kings also and Emperors But as the Lion is known by his Claws so let us learn to know these Men by their Deeds What shall we say of him that made the Noble King Dandalus to be tied by the Neck with a Chain Sabell Ennead 9. lib. 7. and to lie flat down before his Table there to gnaw Bones like a Dog Shall we think that he hath Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Clement the VI. What shall we say of him that proudly and contemptuously trod Frederick the Emperor under his Feet applying the verse of the Psalm unto himself Thou shalt go upon the Lion and the Adder Psal 60. the young Lion and the Dragon thou shalt tread under thy foot Shall we say that he hath Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Alexander the III. What shall we say of him that Armed and animated the Sun against the Father causing him to be taken and to be cruelly famished to death contrary to the Law both of God and also of Nature Shall we say that he had Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Pascal the II. What shall we say of him that came into his Popedom like a Fox that reigned like a Lion and died like a Dog Shall we say that he had Gods holy Spirit within him and not rather the Spirit of the Devil Such a Tyrant was Pope Boniface the VIII What shall we say of him that made
his heart before he prayed and said And now O Lord do I bow the knees of my heart asking of thee part of thy merciful kindness When the Heart is thus prepared the voice uttered from the Heart is harmonious in the ears of God otherwise he regardeth it not to accept it But forasmuch as the Person that so bableth his words without sense in the presence of God sheweth himself not to regard the Majesty of him that he speaketh to He taketh him as a contemner of his Almighty Majesty and giveth â—im â—is Reward among Hypocrites which make an outward shew of Holiness but their hearts are full of abominable thoughts even in the time of their Prayers For it is the Heart that the Lord looketh upon 1 Reg. 16. as it is written in the History of Kings If we therefore will that our Prayers be not abominable before God let us so prepare our hearts before we pray and so understand the things that we ask when we pray that both our hearts and voices may together sound in the ears of Gods Majesty and then we shall not fail to receive at his hand the things that we ask as good men which have been before us did and so have from time to time received that which for their Souls health they did at any time desire De Catechiâ—â—ndis rudibus St. Augustine seemeth to bear in this matter For he saith thus of them which being brought up in Grammar and Rhetorick are converted to Christ and so must be instructed in Christian Religion Let them know also saith he that it is not the voice but the affection of the mind that cometh to the ears of God And so shall it come to pass that if haply they shall mark that some Bishops or Ministers in the Church do call upon God either with barbarous words or with words disordered or that they understand not or do disorderly divide the words that they pronounce they shall not laugh them to scorn Hitherto he seemeth to bear with Praying in an unknown Tongue But in the next sentence he openeth his mind thus Not for that these things ought not to be amended that the People may say Amen to that which they do plainly understand But yet these godly things must be born withal of these Catechists or Instructors of the Faith that they may learn that as in the Common Place where matters are pleaded the goodness of an Oration consisteth in sound so in the Church it consisteth in Devotion So that he alloweth not the praying in a Tongue not understood of him that prayeth But he instructeth the skilful Orator to bear with the rude Tongue of the devout simple Minister To conclude If the lack of understanding the words that are spoken in the Congregation do make them unfruitful to the Hearers how should not the same make the words read unfruitful to the Reader The merciful goodness of God grant us his grace to call upon him as we ought to do to his glory and our endless felicity which we shall do if we humble our selves in his sight and in all our Prayers both common and private have our minds fully fixed upon him Ecclus. 35. For the prayer of them that humble themselves shall pierce through the Clouds and till it draw nigh unto God it will not be answered and till the Most High do regard it it will not depart And the Lord will not be slack but he will deliver the Just and execute Judgment To him therefore be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen AN INFORMATION For them which take Offence at certain places of the Holy Scripture The First Part. THE great utility and profit that Christian Men and Women may take if they will by hearing and reading the Holy Scriptures Dearly beloved no heart can sufficiently conceive much less is my tongue able with words to express Wherefore Satan our Enemy seeing the Scriptures to be the very mean and right way to bring the People to the true knowledge of God and that Christian Religion is greatly furthered by diligent hearing and reading of them he also perceiving what an hindrance and let they be to him and his Kingdom doth what he can to drive the reading of them out of Gods Church And for that end he hath always stirred up in one place or other cruel Tyrants sharp Persecutors and extream Enemies unto God and his Infallible Truth to pull with violence the Holy Bibles out of the Peoples hands and have most spitefully destroyed and consumed the same to Ashes in the Fire pretending most untruly that the much hearing and reading of Gods Word is an occasion of Heresie and carnal Liberty and the overthrow of all good Order in all well ordered Common-weals If to know God aright be an occasion of evil then we must needs grant that the hearing and reading of the Holy Scriptures is the cause of Heresie carnal Liberty and the subversion of all good Orders But the knowledge of God and of our selves is so far from being an occasion of evil that it is the readiest yea the only means to bridle carnal Liberty and to kill all our fleshly Affections And the ordinary way to attain this knowledge is with diligence to hear and read the Holy Scriptures For the whole Scriptures saith St. Paul were given by the inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. And shall we Christian men think to learn the knowledge of God and of our selves in any earthly mans work or Writing sooner or better than in the Holy Scriptures written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost The Scriptures were not brought unto us by the will of man but holy men of God as witnesseth St. Peter spake as they were moved by the holy spirit of God â— Pet. 1. The Holy Ghost is the School-master of Truth which leadeth his Scholars as our Saviour saith of him into all Truth John 16. And whoso is not led and taught by this School-master cannot but fall into deep Error how godly soever his pretence is what Knowledge and Learning soever he hath of all other Works and Writings or how fair soever a shew or face of truth he hath in the estimation and judgment of the World If some man will say I would have a true pattern and a perfect description of an upright life approved in the sight of God can we find think ye any better or any such again as Christ Jesus is and his Doctrine is whose vertuous conversation and godly life the Scripture so lively painteth and setteth forth before our Eyes that we beholding that Pattern might shape and frame our lives as nigh as may be agreeable to the perfection of the same 1 Cor. 11. 1 John 2. Follow you me saith St. Paul as I follow Christ And St. John in his Epistle saith Whoso abideth in Christ must walk even so as he hath walked before him And where shall we learn the order of Christs life but
simple Man of small wit and less knowledge one that was reputed among the Learned as an Ideot and he on Gods name would needs take in hand to dispute with this proud Philosopher The Bishops and other learned Men standing by were marvellously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doings they should be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstanding goeth on and beginning in the Name of the Lord Jesus brought the Philosopher to such Point in the end contrary to all Mens expectation that he could not chuse but acknowledge the power of God in his Words and to give place to the Truth Was not this a miraculous Work that one silly Soul of no Learning should do that which many Bishops of great knowledge and understanding were never able to bring to pass So true is the saying of Bede Where the Holy Ghost doth instruct and teach there is no delay at all in learning Much more might here be spoken of the manifold gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost most excellent and wonderful in our eyes but to make a long Discourse through all the shortness of time will not serve And seeing ye have heard the chiefest ye may easily conceive and judge of the rest Now were it expedient to discuss this Question Whether all they which boast and brag that they have the Holy Ghost do truly challenge this unto themselves or no Which doubt because it is necessary and profitable shall God willing be dissolved in the next Part of this Homily In the mean season let us as we are most bound give hearty thanks to God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ for sending down his Comforter into the World humbly beseeching him so to work in our Hearts by the power of this Holy Spirit that we being Regenerate and newly Born again in all Goodness Righteousness Sobriety and Truth may in the end be made partakers of everlasting Life in his Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen The Second Part of the Homily concerning the HOLY GHOST dissoâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 doubt Whether all Men riâ—htly 〈…〉 themselves the HOLY GHOST or no â—ohn 14. â—5 OUr Saviour Christ departing out of the World unto his Father promised his Disciples to send down another Comforter that should continue with them for ever and direct them into all truth Which thing to be faithfully and truly performed the Scriptures do sufficiently bear witness Neither must we think that this Comforter was either promised or else given only to the Apostles but also to the Universal Church of Christ dispersed through the whole World For unless the Holy Ghost had been always present governing and preserving the Church from the beginning it could never have sustained so many and great brunts of Affliction and Persecution with so little damage and harm as it hath And the words of Christ are most plain in this behalf saying John 24. Mat. 21. That the Spirit of truth should abide with them for ever that he would be with them always he meaneth by Grace Vertue and Power even to the Worlds end Also in the Prayer that he made to his Father a little before his death he maketh intercession not only for himself and his Apostles but indifferently for all them that should believe in him through their words John 17. Rom. 8 that is to wit for his whole Church Again St. Paul saith If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Also in the words following Ibidem We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Hereby then it is evident and plain to all Men that the Holy Ghost was given not only to the Apostles but also to the whole Body of Christs Congregation although not in like form and majesty as he came down at the Feast of Pentecost But now herein standeth the Controversie Whether all Men do justly arrogate to themselves the Holy Ghost or no The Bishops of Rome have for along time made a sore Challenge thereunto reasoning with themselves after this sort The Holy Ghost say they was promised to the Church and never forsaketh the Church But we are the chief Heads and the principal part of the Church therefore we have the Holy Ghost for ever and whatsoever things we decree are undoubted Verities and Oracles of the Holy Ghost That ye may perceive the weakness of this Argument it is needful to teach you First What the true Church of Christ is and then to confer the Church of Rome therewith to discern how well they agree together The true Church is an Universal Congregation or Fellowship of Gods faithful and elect People built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. Jesus Christ himself being the head Corner-stone And it hath always three Notes or Marks whereby it is known Pure and Sound Doctrin the Sacraments Ministred according to Christs holy Institution and the right use of Ecclesiastical Discipline This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God and also to the Doctrin of the Ancient Fathers so that none may Justly find fault therewith Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is at present and hath been for the space of Nine hundred Years and odd you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more For neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrin of Christ Jesu neither yet do they order the Sacraments or else the Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them But have so intermingled their own Traditions and Inventions by chopping and changing by adding and plucking away that now they may seem to be converted into a new Guise Christ commended to his Church a Sacrament of his Body and Blood they have changed it into a Sacrifice for the Quick and the Dead Christ did Minister to his Apostles and the Apostles to other Men indifferently under both kinds They have robbed the Lay people of the Cup saying that for them one kind is sufficient Christ Ordained no other Element to be used in Baptism but only Water whereunto when the Word is joyned it is made as St. Augustine saith a full and perfect Sacrament Augustine They being wiser in their own conceit than Christ think it is not well nor orderly done unless they use Conjuration unless they Hallow the Water unless there be Oyl Salt Spittle Tapers and such other dumb Ceremonies serving to no use contrary to the plain Rule of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. who willeth all things to be done in the Church to Edification Christ Ordained the Authority of the Keys to Excommunicate notorious sinners and to Absolve them which are truly Penitent They abuse this Power at their own pleasure as well in
to be ever ready to give ourselves to our Neighbours and as much as lieth in us to study with all our endeavour to do good to every Man These be the fruits of true Faith to do good asmuch as lieth in us to every Man and above all things and in all things to advance the Glory of God of whom only we have our Sanctification Justification Salvation and Redemption To whom be ever Glory Praise and Honour VVorld without end Amen A Short DECLARATION OF THE True Lively and Christian Faith Faith THE First coming unto God good Christian People is through Faith whereby as it is declared in the last Sermon we be Justified before God And lest any Man should be deceived for lack of right Understanding thereof it is diligently to be noted that Faith is taken in the Scripture two manner of ways A dead Faith There is one Faith which in Scripture is called a Dead Faith which bringeth forth no good Works but is idle barren and unfruitful And this Faith by the Holy Apostle St. James is compared to the Faith of Devils James 2. which believe God to be True and Just and tremble for fear yet they do nothing well but all evil And such a manner of Faith have the wicked and naughty Christian People which confess God as St. Paul saith in their mouths Titus 6. but deny him in their deeds being abominable and without the right Faith and to all good works reproveable And this Faith is a Persuasion and Belief in Man's Heart whereby he knoweth that there is a God and agreeth unto all Truths of God's most Holy Word contained in the Holy Scripture So that it consisteth only in Believing in the Word of God that it is true And this is not properly called Faith But as he that readeth Caesar's Commentary believing the same to be true hath thereby a knowledge of Caesar's Life and notable Acts because he believeth the History of Caesar Yet it is not properly said that he believeth in Caesar of whom he looketh for no help nor benefit Even so he that Believeth that all that is spoken of God in the Bible is true and yet liveth so ungodly that he cannot look to enjoy the Promises and Benefits of God Although it may be said that such a Man hath a Faith and Belief to the Words of God yet it is not properly said that he believeth in God or hath such a Faith and Trust in God whereby he may surely look for Grace Mercy and everlasting Life at God's hand but rather for Indignation and Punishment according to the Merits of his wicked Life For as it is written in a Book Entituled to be of Didymus Alexandrinus Forasmuch as Faith without Works is dead it is not now Faith as a dead Man is not a Man This dead Faith therefore is not that sure and substantial Faith which saveth Sinners Another Faith there is in Scripture which is not as the aforesaid Faith idle unfruitful and dead A lively Faith but worketh by charity as St. Paul declareth Gal. 5. Which as the other vain Faith is called a dead Faith so may this be called a quick or lively Faith And this is not only the common belief of the Articles of our Faith but it is also a true Trust and Confidence of the Mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ and a stedfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand And that although we through Infirmity or Temptation of our Ghostly enemy do fall from him by Sin yet if we return again unto him by true Repentance that he will forgive and forget our Offences for his Sons sake our Saviour Jesus Christ and will make us Inheritors with him of his everlasting Kingdom and that in the mean time untill that Kingdom come he will be our Protector and Defender in all perils and dangers whatsoever do chance And that though somtime he doth send us sharp adversity yet that evermore he will be a loving Father unto us correcting us for our Sin but not withdrawing his Mercy finally from us if we trust in him and commit our selves wholly unto him hang only upon him and call upon him ready to obey and serve him This is the true lively and unfeigned Christian Faith and is not in the Mouth and outward Profession only but it liveth and stirreth inwardly in the Heart And this Faith is not without Hope and Trust in God nor without the Love of God and of our Neighbors nor without the Fear of God nor without the Desire to hear God's Word and to follow the same in eschewing Evil and doing gladly all good Works Heb. 12. Thus Faith as St. Paul describeth it is the sure ground and foundation of the benefits which we ought to look for and trust to receive of God a Certificate and sure looking for them although they yet sensibly appear not unto us And after he saith He that cometh to God must believe both that he is and that he is a merciful rewarder of Well-doers And nothing commendeth good Men unto God so much as this assured Faith and Trust in him Of this Faith three things are specially to be noted Three things are to be noted of Faith First that this Faith doth not lye dead in the Heart but is lively and fruitful in bringing forth good Works Secondly that without it can no good Works be done that shall be acceptable and pleasant to God Thirdly what manner of good Works they be that this Faith doth bring forth Faith is full of good Works For the First That as the Light cannot be hid but will shew forth itself at one place or other So a true Faith cannot be kept secret but when occasion is offered it will break out and shew itself by good Works And as the living Body of a Man ever exerciseth such things as belong to a natural and living Body for nourishment and preservation of the same as it hath need opportunity and occasion Even so the Soul that hath a lively Faith in it will be doing alway some good Work which shall declare that it is living and will not be unoccupied Therefore when Men hear in the Scripture so high commendations of Faith that it maketh us to please God to live with God and to be the Children of God If then they fancy that they be set at liberty from doing all good Works and may live as they list they trifle with God and deceive themselves And it is a manifest token that they be far from having the true and lively Faith and also far from Knowledge what true Faith meaneth For the very sure and lively Christian Faith is not only to believe all things of God which are contained in Holy Scripture but also is an earnest Trust and Confidence in God that he doth regard us and that he is careful over us as the Father is over the Child whom he doth love and that
daily talk Why should I not Swear when I Swear truly To such Men it may be said that though they Swear truly yet in Swearing often unadvisedly for trifles without necessity and when they should not Swear they be not without fault but do take God's most Holy Name in vain Much more ungodly and unwise Men are they that abuse God's most Holy Name not only in buying and selling of small things daily in all places but also in eating drinking playing communing and reasoning As if none of these things might be done except in doing of them the most Holy Name of God be commonly used and abused vainly and unreverently talked of sworn by and forsworn to the breaking of God's Commandment and procurement of his Indignation The Second Part of the Sermon of Swearing YOu have been taught in the First Part of this Sermon against Swearing and Perjury what great danger it is to use the Name of God in vain And that all kind of Swearing is not unlawful neither against God's Commandment and that there be three things required in a lawful Oath First that it be made for the maintainance of the Truth Secondly that it be made with Judgment not rashly and unadvisedly Thirdly for the zeal and love of Justice Ye heard also what commodities come of lawful Oaths and what danger cometh of rash and unlawful Oaths Now as concerning the rest of the same matter you shall understand that as well they use the Name of God in vain that by an Oath make unlawful promises of good and honest things and perform them not As they which do promise evil and unlawful things and do perform the same Of such Men Lawful Oaths and Promises would be better regarded Josh 6. that regard not their Godly Promises bound by an Oath but wittingly and wilfully break them we do read in Holy Scripture two notable punishments First Joshua and the people of Israel made a League and faithful Promise of perpetual Amity and Friendship with the Gibeonites Notwithstanding afterwards in the days of wicked Saul many of these Gibeonites were murthered contrary to the said faithful Promise made Wherewith Almighty God was sore displeased that he sent an universal Hunger upon the whole Country which continued by the space of three years And God would not withdraw his punishment until the said Offence was revenged by the death of seven Sons 2 Kingâ—â— Chap. 25. or next kinsmen of King Saul And whereas Zâ—dechias King of Jerusalem had promised Fidelity to the King of Chaldea afterward when Zedechiaâ— contrary to his Oath and Allegiance did rebel against King Nebuchadonosor This Heathen King by God's permission and sufferance invading the Land of Jury and besieging the City of Jerusalem compelled the said King Zedechias to flee and in fleeing took him prisoner slew his Sons before his Face and put out both his Eies and binding him with chains led him prisoner miserably into Babylon Thus doth God shew plainly Unlawful Oaths and Promises are not to be kept how much he abhorreth breakers of honest Promises bound by an Oath made in his Name And of them that make wicked Promises by an Oath and will perform the same we have example in the Scriptures chiefly of Herod of the wicked Jews and of Jeptha Matth. 14. Herod promised by an Oath unto the Damsel which danced before him to give unto her whatsoever she should ask When she was instructed before of her wicked Mother to ask the Head of St. John Baptist Herod as he took a wicked Oath so he more wickedly performed the same and cruelly slew the most Holy Prophet Likewise did the malicious Jews make an Oath Acts 23. Judges 11. cursing themselves if they did either eat or drink until they had slain St. Paul And Jeptha when God had given to him victory of the Children of Ammon promised of a foolish Devotion unto God to offer for a Sacrifice unto him that Person which of his own House should first meet with him after his return home By force of which fond and unadvised Oath he did slay his own and only Daughter which came out of his House with Mirth and Joy to welcome him home Thus the Promise which he made most foolishly to God against God's everlasting Will and the Law of Nature most cruelly he performed so committing against God a double offence Therefore whosoever maketh any Promise binding himself thereunto by an Oath let him foresee that the thing which he promiseth be good and honest and not against the Commandment of God and that it be in his own power to perform it justly And such good Promises must all Men keep evermore assuredly But if a Man at any time shall either of Ignorance or of Malice Promise and Swear to do any thing which is either against the Law of Almighty God or not in his power to perform Let him take it for an unlawful and ungodly Oath Now somthing to speak of Perjury to the intent you should know how great and grievous an offence against God this wilful Perjury is I will shew you what it is to take an Oath before a Judge upon a Book Against Perjury First when they laying their hands upon the Gospel Book do Swear truly no enquire and to make a true presentment of things wherewith they be charged An Oath before a Judge and not to let from saying the Truth and doing truly for favour love dread or malice of any Person as God may help them and the Holy Contents of that Book They must consider that in that Book is contained God's everlasting Truth his most Holy and Eternal Word whereby we have forgiveness of our Sins and be made inheritors of Heaven to live for ever with God's Angels and Saints in Joy and Gladness In the Gospel Book is contained also God's terrible threats to obstinate sinners that will not amend their lives nor believe the Truth of God's Holy Word and the everlasting pain prepared in Hell for Idolaters Hypocrites for false and vain Swearers for perjured Men for False Witness-bearers for False Condemners of innocent and guiltless Men and for them which for favour hide the crimes of evil doers that they should not be punished So that whosoever wilfully forswear themselves upon Christ's Holy Evangely they utterly forsake God's Mercy Goodness and Truth the Merits of our Saviour Christ's Nativity Life Passion Death Resurrection and Ascension they refuse the forgiveness of Sins promised to all penitent Sinners the joyes of Heaven the company with Angels and Saints for ever All which Benefits and Comforts are promised unto true Christian Persons in the Gospel And they so being forsworn upon the Gospel do betake themselves to the Devils Service the Master of all Lies Falshood Deceit and Perjury provoking the great Indignation and Curse of God against them in this Life and the terrible Wrath and Judgment of our Saviour Christ at the great day of the last Judgment when he
that when the Contention began about Images how of Six Christian Emperors who were the chief Magistrates by Gods Law to be obeyed only one which was Theodosius who Reigned but one year held with Images All the other Emperors and all the Learned Men and Bishops of the East Church and that in assembled Councils condemned them besides the two Emperors before mentioned Valens and Theodosius the Second who were long before these times who strictly forbad that any Images should be made And universally after this time all the Emperors of Greece only Theodosius excepted destroyed continually all Images Now on the contrary part note ye that the Bishops of Rome being no ordinary Magistrates appointed of God out of their Diocess but Usurpers of Princes Authority contrary to Gods Word were the Maintainers of Images against Gods Word and Stirrers up of Sedition and Rebellion and Workers of continual Treason against their Sovereign Lords contrary to Gods Law and the Ordinances of all Human Laws being not only Enemies to God but also Rebels and Traytors against their Princes These be the first bringers in of Images openly into Churches These be the maintainers of them in the Churches and these be the means whereby they have maintained them To wit Conspiracy Treason and Rebellion against God and their Princes Now to proceed in the History most worthy to be known In the Nonage of Constantine the Sixth the Empress Irene his Mother in whose Hands the Regiment of the Empire remained was governed much by the advice of Theodore Bishop and Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople who practised and held with the Bishop of Rome in maintaining of Images most earnestly By whose Counsel and intreaty the Empress first most wickedly digged up the Body of her Father in Law Constantine the Fifth and commanded it to be openly burned and the Ashes to be thrown into the Sea Which Example as the constant report goeth had like to have been put in practice with Princes Corses in our days had the Authority of the Holy Father continued but a little longer The cause why the Empress Irene thus used her Father in Law was for that he when he was alive had destroyed Images and had taken away the sumptuous Ornaments of Churches saying That Christ whose Temples they were allowed Poverty and not Pearls and precious Stones Afterward the said Irene at the persuasion of Adrian Bishop of Rome and Paul the Patriarch of Constantinople and his Successor Tharasius assembled a Council of the Bishops of Asia and Greece at the City Nicea where the Bishop of Rome's Legates being Presidents of the Council and ordering all things as they listed the Council which was assembled before under the Emperor Constantine the Fifth and had decreed that all Images should be destroyed was Condemned as an Heretical Council and Assembly And a Decree was made That Images should be put up in all the Churches of Greece and that Honour and Worship also should be given unto the said Images And so the Empress sparing no diligence in setting up of Images A Decree that Images should be Worshipped nor cost in decking them in all Churches made Constantinople within a short time altogether like Rome itself And now you may see that come to pass which Bishop Serenus feared and Gregory the First forbad in vain to wit that Images should in no wise be Worshipped For now not only the Simple and Unwise unto whom Images as the Scriptures teach be specially a snare but the Bishops and Learned Men also fall to Idolatry by occasion of Images yea and make Decrees and Laws for the maintenance of the same So hard is it and indeed impossible any long time to have Images publickly in Churches and Temples without Idolatry as by the space of little more than One Hundred years betwixt Gregory the First forbidding most strictly the Worshipping of Images and Gregory the Third Paul and Leo the Third Bishops of Rome with this Council Commanding and Decreeing that Images should be Worshipped most evidently appeareth Now when Constantine the young Emperor came to the Age of Twenty years he was daily in less and less estimation For such as were about his Mother persuaded her that it was Gods Determination that she should Reign alone and not her Son with her The Ambitious Woman believing the same deprived her Son of all Imperial Dignity and compelled all the Men of War with their Captains to Swear to her that they would not suffer her Son Constantine to Reign during her Life With which Indignity the young Prince being moved recovered the Regimen of the Empire unto himself by force and being brought up in true Religion in his Father's time seeing the Superstition of his Mother Irene and the Idolatry committed by Images cast down brake and burned all the Idols and Images that his Mother had set up But within a few years after Irene the Empress taken again into her Son's Favour after she had persuaded him to put out Nicephorus his Uncle's Eyes and to cut out the Tongues of his four other Uncles and to forsake his Wife and by such means to bring him into hatred with all his Subjects now further to declare that she was no Changeling but the same Woman that had before digged up and burned her Father-in-Law's Body and that she would be as natural a Mother as she had been a kind Daughter seeing the Images which she loved so well and had with so great cost set up daily destroyed by her own Son the Emperor by the help of certain good Companions deprived her Son of the Empire And first like a kind and loving Mother put out both his Eyes and laid him in Prison where after long and many Torments she at the last most cruelly slew him In this History joined to Eutropius it is written That the Sun was darkned by the space of xvij days most strangely and dreadfully and that all Men said that for the horribleness of that cruel and unnatural Fact of Irene and the putting out of the Emperor's Eyes the Sun had lost his light But indeed God would signifie by the darkness of the Sun into what darkness and blindness of Ignorance and Idolatry Christendom should fall by the occasion of Images The bright Sun of his eternal Truth and light of his Holy Word by the mists and black Clouds of Mens Traditions being blemished and darkned as by sundry most terrible Earthquakes that happened about the same time God signified that the quiet estate of true Religion should by such Idolatry be most horribly tossed and turmoiled And here may you see what a gracious and virtuous Lady this Irene was how loving a Neece to her Husband's Uncles how kind a Mother-in-Law to her Son's Wife how loving a Daughter to her Father-in-Law how natural a Mother to her own Son and what a stout and valiant Captain the Bishops of Rome had of her for the setting up and maintenance of their Idols or Images Surely they could
one into the Heresie of the Anthropomorphites thinking God to have Hands and Feet and to sit as a Man doth which they that do saith St. Augustine in his Book De fide symbolo cap. 7. fall into that Sacriledge which the Apostle detesteth in those who have changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible Man For it is wickedness for a Christian to erect such an Image to God in a Temple and much more wickedness to erect such an one in his Heart by believing of it But to this they reply that this reason notwithstanding Images of Christ may be made for that he took upon him flesh and became Man It were well that they would first grant that they have hitherto done most wickedly in making and maintaining of Images of God and of the Trinity in every place whereof they are by force of God's Word and good Reason convicted and then to descend to the Tryal for other Images Now concerning their Objection that an Image of Christ may be made the Answer is easie For in God's Word and Religion it is not only required whether a thing may be done or no But also whether it be lawful and agreeable to God's Word to be done or no. For all wickedness may be and is daily done which yet ought not to be done And the words of the reasons above alledged out of the Scriptures are that Images neither ought nor can be made unto God Wherfore to reply that Images of Christ may be made except withal it be proved that it is lawful for them to be made is rather than to hold ones peace to say somewhat but nothing to the purpose And yet it appeareth that no Image can be made of Christ but a lying Image as the Scripture peculiarly calleth Images lies for Christ is God and Man Seeing therefore Rom. 1. that for the Godhead which is the most excellent part no Images can be made it is falsly called the Image of Christ Wherefore Images of Christ be not only defects but also lies Which reason serveth also for the Images of Saints whose Souls the most excellent parts of them can by no Images be presented and expressed Wherefore they be no Images of Saints whose Souls reign in joy with God but of the Bodies of Saints which as yet lie putrefied in the Graves Furthermore no true Image can be made of Christ's Body for it is unknown now of what Form and Countenance he was And there be in Greece and at Rome and in other places divers Images of Christ and none of them like to other and yet every of them affirmeth that theirs is the true and lively Image of Christ which cannot possibly be Wherefore as soon as an Image of Christ is made by and by is a Lye made of him which by God's Word is forbidden Which also is true of the Images of any Saints of Antiquity for that it is unknown of what Form and Countenance they were Wherefore seeing that Religion ought to be grounded upon Truth Images which cannot be without Lies ought not to be made or put to any use of Religion or to be placed in Churches and Temples places peculiarly appointed to true Religion and Service of God And thus much that no true Image of God our Saviour Christ or his Saints can be made Wherewithal is also confuted that their allegation that Images be the Lay-mens Books For it is evident by that which is afore-rehearsed that they teach no things of God of our Saviour Christ and of his Saints but Lies and Errors Wherefore either they be no Books or if they be they be false and lying Books the teachers of all Error And now if it should be admitted and granted that an Image of Christ could truly be made yet it is unlawful that it should be made yea or that tho Image of any Saint should be made specially to be set up in Temples to the great and unavoidable danger of Idolatry as hereafter shall be proved And first concerning the Image of Christ that though it might be had truly yet it were unlawful to have it in Churches publickly it is a notable place in Irenaeus Lib. 1. c. 24. who reproved the Hereticks called Gnostici for that they carried about the Image of Christ made truly after his own proportion in Pilate's time as they said and therefore more to be esteemed than those lying Images of him which we now have The which Gnostici also used to set Garlands upon the Head of the said Image to shew their affection to it But to go to Gods word Be not I pray you the words of the Scriptures plain Beware lest thou being deceived Levit. 26. Deut. 5. Sculptile Fusile Similitudo Deut. 27. make to thy self to say to any use of Religion any graven Image or any Similitude of any thing c. And Cursed be the Man that maketh a Graven or Molten Image abomination before the Lord c. Be not our Images such Be not our Images of Christ and his Saints either Carved or Molten or Cast or Similitudes of Men and Women It is happy that we have not followed the Gentiles in making of Images of Beasts Fishes and Vermines also Notwithstanding the Image of an Horse as also the Image of the Ass that Christ rode on have in divers places been brought into the Church and Temple of God And is not that which is written in the beginning of the Lords most Holy Law and daily read unto you most evident also Thou shalt not make any likeness of any thing in Heaven above in Earth beneath or in the Water under the Earth c. Could any more be forbidden and said than this Either of the kinds of Images which be either Carved Molten or otherwise Similitudes Or of things whereof Images are forbidden to be made Are not all things either in Heaven Earth or Water under the Earth Exod. 20. And be not our Images of Christ and his Saints likenesses of things in Heaven Earth or in the Water If they continue in their former answer that thâ—â—â— prohibitions concern the Idols of the Gentiles and not ouâ— Images First that answer is already confuted concerning the Images of God and the Trinity at large and concerning the Images of Christ also by Irenaeus And that the Law of God is likewise to be understood against all our Images as well of Christ as his Saints in Temples and Churches appeareth further by the Judgment of the old Doctors and Primitive Church Epiphanius's renting a painted Cloth wherein was the Picture of Christ or of some Saint affirming it to be against our Religion that any such Image should be had in the Temple or Church as is before at large declared judged that not only Idols of the Gentiles but that all Images of Christ and his Saints also were forbidden by Gods Word and our Religion Lactantius affirming it to be certain that no true Religion can
Lies Deceits Uncleanness Filthiness Dung Mischief and Abomination before the Lord. Wherefore Gods horrible wrath and our most dreadful danger cannot be avoided without the destruction and utter abolishing of all Images and Idols our of the Church and Temple of God which to accomplish God put in the minds of all Christian Princes And in the mean time let us take heed and be wise O ye beloved of the Lord and let us have no strange gods but one only God who made us when we were nothing the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ John 17. who redeemed us when we were lost and with his Holy Spirit doth sanctifie us For this is life everlasting to know him to be the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Let us honour and worship for Religions sake none but him and him let us worship and honour as he will himself and hath declared by his Word that he will be honoured and worshipped not in nor by Images or Idols which he hath most strictly forbidden neither in kneeling lighting of Candles burning of Incense offering up of Gifts unto Images and Idols to believe that we shall please him for all these be abomination before God But let us honour and worship God in Spirit and in Truth John 4. fearing and loving him above all things trusting in him only calling upon him and praying to him only praising and lauding of him only and all other in him and for him For such worshippers doth our Heavenly Father love who is a most pure Spirit and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth And such worshippers were Abraham Moses David Elias Peter Paul John and all other the Holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all true Saints of God who all as the true Friends of God were enemies and destroyers of Images and Idols as the Enemies of God and his true Religion Wherefore take heed and be wise O ye beloved of the Lord and that which others contrary to Gods Word bestow wickedly and to their damnation upon dead stocks and stones no Images but Enemies of God and his Saints that bestow ye as the faithful Servants of God according to Gods Word mercifully upon poor Men and Women Fatherless Children Widows sick Persons Strangers Prisoners and such others that be in any necessity that ye may at that great day of the Lord hear that most blessed and comfortable saying of our Saviour Christ Come ye blessed into the Kingdom of my Father prepared for you before the beginning of the World For I was hungry and ye gave me meat thirsty and ye gave me drink naked and ye clothed me harbourless and ye lodged me in Prison and ye visited me sick and ye comforted me For whatsoever ye have done for the poor and needy in my name and for my sake that have ye done for me To the which his Heavenly Kingdom God the Father of Mercies bring us for Jesus Christs sake our only Saviour Mediator and Advocate to whom with the Holy Ghost one immortal invisible and most glorious God be all Honour and Thanksgiving and Glory World without end Amen AN HOMILY FOR Repairing and keeping clean and comely adorning of Churches IT is a common custom used of all men when they intend to have their Friends or Neighbours to come to their Houses to eat or drink with them or to have any Solemn Assembly to treat and talk of any matter they will have their Houses which they keep in continual reparations to be clean and fine lest they should be counted sluttish or little to regard their Friends and Neighbours How much more then ought the House of God which we commonly call the Church to be sufficiently repaired in all places and to be honourably adorned and garnished and to be kept clean and sweet to the comfort of the People that shall resort thereunto It appeareth in the Holy Scripture how Gods House which was called his Holy Temple and was the Mother Church of all Jewry fell sometimes into decay and was oftentimes profaned and defiled through the negligence and ungodliness of such as had the charge thereof But when godly Kings and Governors were in place then Commandment was given forthwith that the Church and Temple of God should be repaired and the Devotion of the People to be gathered for the reparation of the same We read in the fourth Book of the Kings 4 Kings 12. how that King Joas being a godly Prince gave commandment to the Priests to convert certain Offerings of the People towards the reparation and amendment of Gods Temple Like commandment gave that most godly King Josias 4 Kings 22. concerning the reparation and re-edification of Gods Temple which in his time he found in sore decay It hath pleased Almighty God that these Histories touching the re-edifying and repairing of his Holy Temple should be written at large to the end we should be taught thereby First that God is well pleased that his People should have a convenient place to resort unto and to come together to praise and magnifie Gods Holy Name And secoâ—dâ—â— he is highly pleased with all those which diligenâ—ly and zealously go about to amend and restore such places as are appointed for the Congregation of Gods People to resort unto and wherein they humbly and joyntly render thanks to God for his benefits and with one heart and voice praise his Holy Name Thirdly God was sore displeased with his People because they builded decked and trimmed up their own Houses and suffered Gods House to be in ruine and decay to lye uncomely and fulsomly Wherefore God was sore grieved with them and plagued them as appeareth in the Prophet Aggeus Thus saith the Lord Agge 1. Is it time for you to dwell in your cieled Houses and the Lords House not regarded Ye have sowed much and gathered in but little your meat and your clothes have neither filled you nor made you warm and he that had his wages put it in a bottomless purse By these Plagues which God laid upon his People for neglecting of his Temple it may evidently appear that God will have his Temple his Church the place where his Congregation shall resort to magnifie him well edified well repaired and well maintained Some neither regarding godliness nor the place of godly exercise will say The Temple in the Old Law was commanded to be built and repaired by God himself because it had great Promises annexed unto it and because it was a figure a Sacrament or a signification of Christ and also of his Church To this may be easily answered First that our Churches are not destitute of Promises forasmuch as our Saviour Christ saith Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst among them A great number therefore coming to Church together in the name of Christ have there that is to say in the Church their God and Saviour Jesus Christ present among the
day Apoc. 1. Sithence which time Gods People hath always in all Ages without any gain-saying used to come together upon the Sunday Numb 15. to celebrate and honour the Lords blessed Name and carefully to keep that day in Holy rest and quietness both Man Woman Child Servant and Stranger For the transgression and breach of which day God hath declared himself much to be grieved as it may appear by him who for gathering of sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned to death But alas all these notwithstanding it is lamentable to see the wicked boldness of those that will be counted Gods People who pass nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the Sunday And these People are of two sorts The one sort if they have any business to do though there be no extream need they must not spare for the Sunday they must ride and journey on the Sunday they must drive and carry on the Sunday they must row and ferry on the Sunday they must buy and sell on the Sunday they must keep Markets and Fairs on the Sunday finally they use all days alike Work-days and Holy-days all are one The other sort is worse For although they will not Travel nor Labour on the Sunday as they do on the Week-day yet they will not rest in Holiness as God commandeth but they rest in ungodliness and filthiness prancing in their Pride pranking and pricking pointing and painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay they rest in excess and superfluity in gluttony and drunkenness like Rats and Swine they rest in brawling and railing in quarrelling and fighting they rest in wantonness in toyish talking in filthy fleshliness so that it doth too evidently appear that God is more dishonoured and the Devil better served on the Sunday than upon all the days in the Week besides And I assure you the Beasts which are commanded to rest on the Sunday honour God better than this kind of People For they offend not God they break not their Holy-days Wherefore O ye People of God lay your hands upon your hearts repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickedness stand in awe of the Commandment of God gladly follow the example of God himself be not disobedient to the godly Order of Christs Church used and kept from the Apostles time until this day Fear the displeasure and just Plagues of Almighty God if ye be negligent and forbear not labouring and travelling on the Sabbath day or Sunday and do not resort together to celebrate and magnifie Gods blessed Name in quiet Holiness and godly Reverence Now concerning the Place where the People of God ought to resort together and where especially they ought to celebrate and sanctifie the Sabbath day that is the Sunday the day of Holy Rest That Place is called Gods Temple or the Church because the Company and Congregation of Gods People which is properly called the Church doth there assemble themselves on the days appointed for such Assemblies and Meetings And forasmuch as Almighty God hath appointed a special time to be honoured in it is very meet godly and also necessary that there should be a Place appointed where these People should meet and resort to serve their gracious God and merciful Father Truth it is the Holy Patriarchs for a great number of years had neither Temple nor Church to resort unto The cause was they were not staid in any place but were in a continual peregrination and wandring that they could not conveniently build any Church But so soon as God had delivered his People from their Enemies and set them in some liberty in the Wilderness he set them up a costly and a curious Tabernacle which was as it were the Parish Church a place to resort unto of the whole multitude a place to have his Sacrifices made in and other Observances and Rites to be used in Furthermore after that God according to the truth of his Promise had placed and quietly setled his People in the Land of Canaan now called Jury he commanded a great and magnificent Temple to be built by King Solomon as seldom the like hath been seen a Temple so decked and adorned so gorgeously garnished as was meet and expedient for People of that time which would be allured and stirred with nothing so much as with such outward goodly gay things This was now the Temple of God endued also with many gifts and sundry promises This was the publick Church and the Mother-Church of all Jury Here was God honoured and served Hither was the whole Realm of all the Israelites bound to come at three Solemn Feasts in the Year to serve their Lord God here But let us proceed further In the time of Christ and his Apostles there were yet no Temples nor Churches for Christian men For why they were always for the most part in persecution vexation and trouble so that there could be no liberty nor licence obtained for that purpose Yet God delighted much that they should often resort together in a place and therefore after his ascension they remained together in an Upper Chamber sometime they entred into the Temple sometime into the Synagogues sometimes they were in Prison sometimes in their Houses sometimes in the Fields c. And this continued so long till the Faith of Christ Jesus began to multiply in a great part of the World Now when divers Realms were established in Gods true Religion and God had given them peace and quietness then began Kings Noble-men and the People also stirred up with a godly zeal and ferventness to build up Temples and Churches whither the People might resort the better to do their Duty towards God and to keep Holy their Sabbath day the day of Rest And to these Temples have the Christians customably used to resort from time to time as unto meet places where they might with common consent praise and magnifie Gods name yielding him thanks for the benefits that he daily poureth upon them both mercifully and abundantly where they might also hear his Holy Word read expounded and preached sincerely and receive his Holy Sacraments ministred unto them duly and purely True it is that the chief and special Temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and most delighteth to dwell are the bodies and minds of true Christians and the chosen People of God according to the Doctrine of Holy Scriptures declared by St. Paul Know ye not saith he that ye be the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. and that the Spirit of God doth dwell in you The Temple of God is Holy which ye are And again in the same Epistle 1 Cor. 6. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you whom you have given you of God and that ye be not your own Yet this notwithstanding God doth allow the material Temple made with Lime and Stone so oft as his People come together into it to praise his Holy Name to be his House and
Hell to the intent to put us in good hope that by his strength we shall do the same He paid the Ransom of sin that it should not be laid to our charge He destroyed the Devil and all his Tyranny and openly triumphed over him and took away from him all his Captives and hath raised and set them with himself among the Heavenly Citizens above Ephes 2. He died to destroy the rule of the Devil in us and he rose again to send down his Holy Spirit to rule in our hearts to endow us with perfect Righteousness Thus it is true that David sung Psal 84. Ephes 4. Captivam duxit captivitatem Luke 2. Veritas de terra orta est justitia de coelo prospexit The truth of Gods promise is in Earth to man declared or from the Earth is the everlasting Verity Gods Son risen to life and the true righteousness of the Holy Ghost looking out of Heaven and in most liberal largess dealt upon all the World Thus is glory and praise rebounded upwards to God above for his mercy and truth And thus is Peace come down from Heaven to men of good and faithful hearts Psal 48. Misericordia veritas obviaverunt sibi Thus is mercy and truth as David writeth together met thus is peace and righteousness embracing and kissing each other If thou doubtest of so great wealth and felicity that is wrought for thee O man call to thy mind that therefore hast thou received into thine own possession the everlasting Verity our Saviour Jesus Christ to confirm to thy Conscience the truth of all this matter Thou hast received him if in true faith and repentance of Heart thou hast received him If in purpose of amendment thou hast received him for an everlasting gage or pledge of thy Salvation Thou hast received his Body which was once broken and his Blood which was shed for the remission of thy sin Thou hast received his Body to have within thee the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for to dwell with thee to endow thee with grace to strengthen thee against thine Enemies and to comfort thee with their presence Thou hast received his Body to endow thee with everlasting righteousness to assure thee of everlasting bliss Ephes 5. and life of thy Soul For with Christ by true Faith art thou quickned again saith St. Paul from death of sin to life of grace and in hope translated from corporal and everlasting death to the everlasting life and glory in Heaven where now thy conversation should be and thy heart and desire set Doubt not of the truth of this matter how great and high soever these things be It becometh God to do no small deeds how impossible soever they seem to thee Pray to God that thou mayest have Faith to perceive this great Mystery of Christs Resurrection that by Faith thou mayest certainly believe nothing to be impossible with God Luke 18. Only bring thou Faith to Christs Holy Word and Sacrament Let thy Repentance shew thy Faith let thy purpose of amendment and obedience of thy heart to Gods Law hereafter declare thy true belief Endeavour thy self to say with St. Paul Phil. 4. From henceforth our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour even the Lord Jesus Christ which shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like his glorious body which he shall do by the same power whereby he rose from death and whereby he shall be able to subdue all things unto himself Thus good Christian People forasmuch as ye have heard these so great and excellent benefits of Christs mighty and glorious Resurrection as how that he hath ransomed Sin overcome the Devil Death and Hell and hath victoriously gotten the better hand of them all to make us free and safe from them and knowing that we be by this benefit of his Resurrection risen with him by our Faith unto life everlasting being in full surety of our hope that we shall have our bodies likewise raised again from death to have them glorified in immortality and joyned to his glorious body having in the mean while his holy Spirit within our hearts as a Seal and Pledge of our everlasting Inheritance By whose assistance we be replenished with all righteousness by whose power we shall be able to subdue all our evil affections rising against the pleasure of God These things I say well considered let us now in the rest of our life declare our Faith that we have in this most fruitful Article by framing our selves thereunto in rising daily from sin to righteousness and holiness of life For what shall it avail us saith St. Peter to be 2 Pet. 2. escaped and delivered from the filthiness of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ if we be entangled again therewith and be overcome again Certainly it had been better saith he never to have known the way of righteousness then after it is known and received to turn back again from the holy Commandment of God given unto us For so shall the Proverb have place in us where it is said The Dog is returned to his vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire again What a shame were it for us being thus so clearly and freely washed from our sin to return to the filthiness thereof again What a folly were it thus endowed with righteousness to lose it again What madness were it to lose the Inheritance that we be now set in for the vile and transitory pleasure of sin And what an unkindness should it be where our Saviour Christ of his mercy is come to us to dwell with us as our Guest to drive him from us and to banish him violently out of our souls and instead of him in whom is all grace and vertue to receive the ungracious spirit of the Devil the founder of all naughtiness and mischief How can we find in our hearts to shew such extream unkindness to Christ which hath now so gently called us to mercy and offered himself unto us and he now entred within us Yea how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost For where one is there is God all whole in Majesty together with all his power wisdom and goodness and fear not I say the danger and peril of so traiterous a defiance and departure Good Christian Brethren and Sisters advise your selves consider the dignity that ye be now set in let no Folly lose the thing that Grace hath so preciously offered and purchased let not wilfulness and blindness put out so great light that is now shewed unto you Ephes 6. Only take good hearts unto you and put upon you all the Armour of God that ye may stand against your Enemies which would again subdue you and bring you into their thraldom Remember ye be bought from your vain conversation
otherwhiles obey God but by and by do think that laying him aside it is lawful for them to serve the World and the Flesh And because that we are letted by the natural corruption of our own Flesh and the wicked affections of the same he doth bid us also to return with Fasting not thereby understanding a superstitious Abstinence and choosing of Meats but a true Discipline or taming of the Flesh whereby the nourishments of filthy Lusts and of stubborn Contumacy and Pride may be withdrawn and pluckt away from it Whereunto he doth add weeping and mourning which do contain an outward profession of Repentance which is very needful and necessary that so we may partly set forth the righteousness of God when by such means we do testifie that we deserved punishments at his hands and partly stop the offence that was openly given unto the weak Psal 25. Thus did David see who being not content to have bewept and bewailed his sins privately would publickly in his Psalms declare and set forth the rigteousness of God in punishing sin and also stay them that might have abused his Example to sin the more boldly Therefore they are farthest from true Repentance that will not confess and acknowledge their sins nor yet bewail them but rather do most ungodlily glory and rejoyce in them Now lest any Man should think that Repentance doth consist in outward weeping and mourning only he doth rehearse that wherein the chief of the whole matter doth lie when he saith Rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turn unto the Lord your God For the People of the East part of the World were wont to rent their Garments Psal 52. if any thing hapned unto them that seemed intolerable Hypocrites do counterfeit all manner of things This thing did Hypocrites sometimes counterfeit and follow as though the whole Repentance did stand in such outward gesture He teacheth then that another manner of thing is required that is That they must be contrite in their Hearts that they must utterly detest and abhor Sins and being at defiance with them return unto the Lord their God from whom they went away before For God hath no pleasure in the outward Ceremony but requireth a contrite and humble Heart Psal 52. which he will never despise as David doth testifie There is therefore none other use of these outward Ceremonies but as far forth as we are stirred up by them and do serve to the glory of God and to the edifying of others Now doth he add unto this Doctrin or Exhortation How Repentance is not unprofitable certain godly Reasons which he doth ground upon the nature and property of God and whereby he doth teach that true Repentance can never be unprofitable or unfruitful For as in all other things Mens hearts do quail and faint if they once perceive that they travel in vain Even so most especially in this matter must we take heed and beware that we suffer not our selves to be persuaded that all that we do is but labor lost for thereof either sudden desperation doth arise or a licentious boldness to sin which at length bringeth unto desperation Lest any such thing then should happen unto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodness of God who is always most ready to receive them into favor again that turn speedily unto him Which thing he doth prove with the same Titles wherewith God doth describe and set forth himself unto Moses speaking on this manner Exod. 34. For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil that is such a one as is sorry for your Afflictions First He calleth him gentle and gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and ready to do good than to punish Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophet seemeth to pertain where he saith Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his own imaginations and return unto the Lord and he will have pity on him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive Secondly Doth attribute unto him mercy or rather according to the Hebrew word the Bowels of mercies whereby he signified the natural affections of Parents towards their Children Which thing David doth set forth goodly Psal 103. saying As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Thirdly He saith that he is slow to anger that is to say long-suffering and which is not lightly provoked to wrath Fourthly That he is of much kindness for he is that bottomless Well of all goodness who rejoyceth to do good unto us therefore did he create and make Men that he might have whom he should do good unto and make partakers of his Heavenly Riches Fifthly He repenteth of the evil that is to say he doth call back again and revoke the punishment which he had threatned when he seeth Men repent turn and amend Against the Novatians Whereupon we do not without a just cause detest and abhor the damnable Opinion of them which do most wickedly go about to persuade the simple and ignorant People That if we chance after we be once come to God and grafted in his Son Jesus Christ to fall into some horrible sin shall be unprofitable unto us there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be received again into the favor and mercy of God And that they may give the better colour unto their pestilent and pernicious Error they do commonly bring in the sixth and tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the second Chapter of the second Epistle of Peter not considering that in those places the holy Apostles do not speak of the daily falls that we as long as we carry about this body of sin are subject unto Mat. 12. Mark 3. but of the final falling away from Christ and his Gospel The sin against the Holy Ghost which is a sin against the Holy Ghost that shall never be forgiven because that they do utterly forsake the known Truth do hate Christ and his Word they do crucifie and mock him but to their utter destruction and therefore fall into desparation and cannot repent And that this is the true meaning of the holy Spirit of God it appeareth by many other places of the Scriptures which promise unto all true repentant sinners and to them that with their whole heart do turn unto the Lord their God free pardon and remission of their sins For the probation hereof we read this O Israel saith the holy Prophet Jeremy if thou return Jer. 4. return unto me saith the Lord and if thou put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not be removed Again these are Esaias words Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his own ways and the unrighteous his own
overthrow of all Rebels of what number State or Condition soever they were or what colour or cause soever they pretended is and ever hath been such that God thereby doth shew that he alloweth neither the dignity of any Person nor the multitude of any People nor the weight of any Cause as sufficient for the which the Subjects may move Rebellion against their Princes Turn over and read the Histories of all Nations look over the Chronicles of our own Country call to mind so many Rebellions of old time and some yet fresh in memory ye shall not find that God ever prospered any Rebellion against their natural and lawful Prince but contrariwise that the Rebels were overthrown and slain and such as were taken Prisoners dreadfully executed Consider the great and noble Families of Dukes Marquesses Earls and other Lords whose Names ye shall read in our Chronicles now clean extinguished and gone and seek out the causes of the decay you shall find that not lack of Issue and Heirs Male hath so much wrought that decay and wast of Noble Bloods and Houses as hath Rebellion And for so much as the Redress of the Common-wealth hath of old been the usual feined pretence of Rebels and Religion now of late beginneth to be a colour of Rebellion let all godly and discreet Subjects consider well of both and first concerning Religion If peaceable King Solomon was judged of God to be more meet to build his Temple whereby the ordering of Religion is meant than his Father King David though otherwise a most godly King for that David was a great Warrior and had shed much Blood though it were in his Wars against the Enemies of God Of this may all godly and reasonable Subjects consider that a peaceable Prince specially our most peaceable and merciful King who hath hitherto shed no Blood at all no not of his most deadly Enemies is more like and far meeter either to set up or to maintain true Religion than are bloody Rebels who have not shed the Blood of Gods Enemies as King David had done but do seek to shed the Blood of Gods Friends of their own Country-men and of their own most dear Friends and Kinsfolk yea the destruction of their most gracious Prince and natural Country for defence of whom they ought to be ready to shed their Blood if need should so require What a Religion it is that such Men by such means would restore may easily be judged even as good a Religion surely as Rebels be good Men and obedient Subjects and as Rebellion is a good Mean of Redress and Reformation being it self the greatest deformation of all that may possibly be But as the truth of the Gospel of our Saviour Christ being quietly and soberly taught though it do cost them their lives that do teach it is able to maintain the true Religion so hath a frantic Religion need of such furious maintainances as is Rebellion and of such Patrons as are Rebels being ready not to die for the true Religion but to kill all that shall or dare speak against their false Superstition and wicked Idolatry Now concerning pretences of any Redress of the Common-wealth made by Rebels every Man that hath but half an Eye may see how vain they be Rebellion being as I have before declared the greatest ruin and destruction of all Common-wealths that may be possible And who so looketh on the one part upon the Persons and Government of the Kings most Honorable Counsellors by the experiment of so many years proved honorable to his Majesty and most profitable and beneficial unto our Country and Country-men and on the other part considereth the Persons State and Conditions of the Rebels themselves the Reformers as they take upon them of the present Government he shall find that the most rash and hair-brain'd Men the greatest unthrifts that have most lewdly wasted their own Goods and Lands those that are over the ears in debt and such as for their Thefts Robberies and Murders dare not in any well governed Common-wealth where good Laws are in force shew their Faces such as are of most lewd and wicked Behavior and Life and all such as will not or cannot live in peace are always most ready to move Rebellion or take part with Rebels And are not these meet Men trow you to restore the Common-wealth decayed who have so spoiled and consumed all their own Wealth and Thrift and very like to amend other Mens manners who have so vile Vices and abominable Conditions themselves Surely that which they falsely call Reformation is indeed not only a defacing or deformation but also an utter destruction of all Common-wealth as would well appear might the Rebels have their wills and doth right well and too well appear by their doing in such places of the Country where Rebels do rout where though they tarry but a very little while they make such Reformation that they destroy all places and undo all Men where they come that the Child yet unborn may rue it and shall many Years hereafter curse them Let no good and discreet Subjects therefore follow the Flag or Banner displayed to Rebellion and born by Rebels though it have the image of the Plough painted therein with God speed the Plough written under in great Letters knowing that none hinder the Plough more than Rebels who will neither go to the Plough themselves nor suffer other that would go unto it And though some Rebels bear the Picture of the five wounds painted against those who put their only hope of Salvation in the wounds of Christ not those wounds which are painted in a Clout by some lewd Painter but in those wounds which Christ himself bare in his precious Body though they little knowing what the Cross of Christ meaneth which neither Carver nor Painter can make do bear the Image of the Cross painted in a Rag against those that have the Cross of Christ painted in their Hearts yea though they paint withal in their Flags Hoc signo vinces By this Sign thou shalt get the Victory by a most fond imitation of the Posie of Constantinus Magnus that noble Christian Emperor and great Conqueror of Gods Enemies a most unmeet Ensign for Rebels the Enemies of God their Prince and Country or what other Banner soever they shall bear yet let no good and godly Subject upon any hope of Victory or good Success follow such Standard-bearers of Rebellion For as examples of such Practices are to be found as well in the Histories of old as also of latter Rebellions in our Fathers and our fresh Memory so notwithstanding these Pretences made and Banners born are recorded withal to perpetual Memory the great and horrible murders of infinite multitudes and thousands of the Common People slain in Rebellion dreadful executions of the Authors and Captains the pitiful undoing of their Wives and Children and disinheriting of the Heirs of the Rebels for ever the spoiling wasting and destruction of the