against his owne body doth not his conscience tell him that God is highly displeased with him doth hee not feele the effects of his wrath in his soule and oftentimes in his body and estate also and if the hand of God upon him bring him not to a sight and a sense and an acknowledgement and a detestation also of his sinne dare any man secure his salvation On the contrary if after his relapse his heart smite him and hee feeles the pricke of conscience if there bee any sparke in the weeke any bitter fume drawing teares from his eyes any fervour of zeale any heate of love in him any vehement desire of saving grace though hee receive the sentence of death in himselfe and breathe out his last gaspe in a disconsolate sigh and with a lamentable groane yet none doubteth but that he may passe even by the gates of Hell into Heaven There is nothing so easie or frequent as for a man to slip or fall who walketh upon the ice and what is this world compared by Saint John to a sea of glasse Apoc. 15.2 but slippery ice in which though they who goe most warily slide often and receive grievous falls yet they may take such hold on the one side upon the promises of God Jer. 31.40 I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee and on the other side upon Christs praier I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not that they fall not irrecoverably or so dangerously as that they dye of their fall Luke 22.31 For whose comfort in their fearfullest conflicts with dispaire I will lay such grounds of confidence as will amount to a hope that maketh not ashamed and at least to a morall assurance of the recovery of their former estate In the ninth of Proverbs and the first wee have a description of a house built by Wisedome b Prov. 9.1 Wisedome saith hee hath built her an house shee hath hewen out her seven pillars By this house albeit some of the Ancients understand the incarnation of the Sonne of God who is the Wisedome of his Father and might bee said then to build him an house when hee framed a body to himselfe yet may it bee applyed to the spirituall house which every Christian buildeth by faith upon the rocke Christ Jesus for as that so this standeth upon seven pillars 1. The constancy of Gods love in Christ 2. The certainty of his decrees 3. The truth of his promises 4. The power of regenerating grace 5. The efficacy of Christs prayer and intercession for all Beleevers 6. The safegard of the Almighties protection 7. The testimony of the true ancient Church which the Apostle himselfe graceth with the title of the pillar and ground of truth The first pillar to support this building is the constancy of Gods love to all that are in Christ which may be thus hewen to our purpose They upon whom God setteth such an especiall affection in Christ that hee maketh a covenant of peace and entreth into a contract of marriage with them can never bee cast utterly out of favour much lesse grow into eternall hatred and detestation in such sort that they become the objects of endlesse misery and subjects of everlasting malediction For this kindnesse whereby the Lord our Redeemer hath mercy on us Esa 1.54.8 With everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Ver. 10. The mountains shal depart and the â—â—ls be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed is everlasting The covenant of this peace is immoveable this contract is indissoluble * Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth thee unto mee for ever I will betroth thee unto mee in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies I will betroth thee unto mee in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. But all true beleevers are embraced with this love comprised within this covenant parties in this contract What then can steale their hearts from Christ or alienate his love from them z Rom. 8 35.38 What shal separate them from this love of God in Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill No neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That fire which generateth and produceth its owne fuell can never goe out and what is the fuell which nourisheth this heavenly flame but grace and vertue in us which it selfe continually worketh in all them that are new creatures in Christ Men affect others because of worth but contrariwise Gods affection causeth worth in all who are indeared unto him All the spirituall beauty they have wherewith he is enamoured is no other than the reflection and glisening of the beames of his grace which a Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the beginner and finisher of our faith beginneth and consummateth all good in us b Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure working in us both the wil the deed Philosophy teacheth that the celestiall and superiour bodies work upon the terrestriall and inferiour but not on the contrary The stormes or calmes in the aire change not the motions or influence of the starres but contrariwise the motions conjunctions and influences of the Starres cause such variety in the ayre and earth The rayes of the visible Sunne are not moved at all by the motion of the object but immoveably flow from the body of that Planet and though blustering windes tyrannize in the ayre and remove it a thousand times out of its place in an houre yet they stirre not therewith in like manner though our affections are transported with every gale of prosperity and storme of adversity and our wills somewhat yeeld to every wind of temptation yet Gods affections like the beames of the Sunne remaine immoveable where they are once fixed Wee play fast and loose even with those oftentimes to whom wee are bound in the strongest bonds of duty and love wee praise and dispraise with a breath frowne and smile with a looke Esay 55.8 love and hate with a conceit but Gods affections are not like ours John 13.1 nor are his thoughts our thoughts For having loved his owne which were in the world 2 Tim. 2.13 hee loveth them unto the end and though we beleeve not yet hee abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe The second pillar is the certainty of Gods decree for the salvation of the Elect 2 Tim. 2 19. and thus I reare it up The foundation of God standeth sure having this seale The Lord knoweth them that
erit timor ut mihi perseveranter adhaereant I will put my feare in their hearts that they depart not from me what is it else than to say the feare which I put in their hearts shall be such and so great that they shall assuredly or perseveringly cleave unto me They whose hearts are kept alwaies in this feare need never feare finall Apostacy from God Counterfeit f Sen. de clem l. 1. Nemo potest personam diu ferte ficta cito in naturam suam recidunt things are discovered by their discontinuance variation but true by their lasting That which glareth for a time in the aire and out-braveth the stars even of the first rank or magnitude but after a few daies playeth least in sight is a Comet no true starre Stella cadens non est stella cometa fuit Likewise that which glistereth like gold yet endureth not the fire is Alchymy stuffe no pretious metall The stone that sparkleth like a Diamond yet abideth not the stroke is a cornish or counterfeit not a true orient Diamond It is artificiall complexion and meere painting not true beauty which weareth out in a day and is washed off with a showre Feigned things and false saith the g Cic. de â—sâ—c l. 3. Ficta omnia tanquam slosculi decidunt vera gloria â—adices agiâ— â—que etiam propagatur Oratour soone fall like blossomes true glory taketh root and spreadeth it selfe The truth himselfe our h Joh. 8 31. Lord and Saviour maketh perseverance a certain note of true Disciples If yee continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed Would any of you know whether he be a true sonne of God and member of Christ he can by no thing so infallibly finde it in himselfe as by the gift of perseverance This St. i 1 Joh. 2.19 John giveth for a touch-stone of a true Apostle They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not of us Saint Paul of a true k Heb. 3.6 member of Christ or temple of the holy Ghost But Christ is a sonne over his owne house whose house are wee if wee hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme to the end Saint l Aug. de correp grat c. 9. Tunc verè sunt quod appellantur si manseâ—int in co propter quod sic appellantur Augustine of the true children of God Then they are truely what they are called the sonnes of God if they continue in that for which they are so called The fourth pillar I named unto you was the power of regenerating grace 1 Pet. 1.3 4. whereby wee are begotten againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us That which is incorruptible cannot bee destroyed or perish that which is reserved for us cannot be taken away from us Now if any demand what preserveth faith in the soule in such sort that it is never habitually lost though the act thereof be sometimes suspended I answer 1. Outwardly the powerfull ministry of the Word and Sacraments 2. Inwardly renewing grace infused into the soule at the first moment of our conversion This grace is by the holy Ghost termed the * Jam. 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the engraffed word which is able to save your soules engraffed word sometimes the a 1 Joh. 2.27 But the annointing which ye hâ—ve received of him abideth in you and as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him annointing that abideth in us sometimes the b 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the temples of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you spirit dwelling in us sometimes a c John 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing to everlasting life Well of water springing up to everlasting life sometimes Gods d 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not coÌ„mit sin for his seed remaineth in him seed remaining in us sometimes e 1 Pet. 3.23 Being borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever incorruptible seed whence we may frame an argument like to that of our Saviours to Nicodemus As f John 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit that which is borne of corruptible seed is corruptible so that which is borne of incorruptible seed is incorruptible How can he that is borne of incorruptible and spirituall seed be corrupted and dye spiritually how can hee that hath in his belly a Well of ever-springing water thirst eternally how can he in whom the annointing S. John speaketh of abideth putresie in his sinnes how can hee in whom the spirit dwelleth be estranged from the love of God how can he that is borne of God become a childe of the Divell Saint g 1 John 3.9 John strongly argueth against it Whosoever is born of God cannot commit sinne because he is borne of God I conclude this argument with that daring interrogation of Saint h Aug. de bono persev c. 7. Contra tam claram veritatis tubam quis voceâ— ullâ—s auaâ—â—t humanas Austin Against so cleere and loud sounding trumpet of divine truth what man of a sober and watchfull faith will endure to heare any voices or words from man The fifth pillar is Christs prayer for the perseverance of all true beleevers The pillar is like to Jacobs ladder that reacheth from earth to heaven and though heaven and earth be shaken yet this pillar will stand immoveable I know saith Christ that thou i John 16.23 Verely verely I say unto you whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you O Father hearest mee alwaies If wee obtaine whatsoever we aske for Christs sake shall not Christ obtaine what he asketh for us If the Word of God sustaine the whole frame of nature shall not Christs prayer be able to support a weake Christian Doth God heare the softest voice and lowest sigh and groane of his children upon earth and will he not heare the loud cry of his Sonne in his bosome in heaven What therefore if Sathan seeke to winnow us like wheat Saint k Cypr. de simpl prelat Triticum non rapit ventus manes paleae tempestate jactantur Cyprian biddeth us never to feare blowing away It is empty chaffe that is blowne away with the winde the corne still abides on the floore Shall Sathans fanning bee more powerfull to scatter than Christs prayer to gather us shall any winde of temptation be of more force
after a more effectuall manner even because hee cannot utter his prayer by speech his very dumbnesse pleads for him so the sorrow of a penitent sinner which faine would expresse it selfe by teares but cannot which rendeth the heart continually and maketh it evaporate into secret sighes best expresseth it selfe to him of whom the Prophet speaketh Psal 38.9 Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee 6. If he sink so low that the pit is ready to shut her mouth over him and he being now even swallowed up in the gulfe of despaire breathe out his last sigh and roares most fearfully to the great dis-heartening of all that come about him saying I have no touch of remorse no sense of joy no apprehension of faith no comfort of hope My wounds stinke and are putrefied and all the balme of Gilead cannot now cure mee The Spirit is utterly extinct in me and therefore my case desperate In this extreme fit of despaire give him this cordiall out of the words of my Text Hast thou never felt any remorse of conscience in all thy life Wast thou never pricked in heart at the Sermon of some Peter Wert thou never ravished with joy when the generall pardon of all thy sinnes hath been exemplified to thee in the application of the promises of the Gospel and sealed to thee by the Sacrament Hast thou never had any sensible token of Gods love I know thou hast thou acknowledgest as much in confessing amongst other thy sins thine intolerable ingratitude towards the Lord that bought thee then bee yet of good comfort the flaxe yet smoaketh the fire is not clean out thou hast lost the sense but not the essence of faith Thou art cast out of Gods favour in thy apprehension not in truth Thou art but in a swoune thy soule is in thee Thou discernest no signe or motion of life in thee but others may Thy conscience will beare thee record that sometimes thou didst truly beleeve and true faith cannot be lost Gods covenant of grace is immoveable his affection is unchangeable he whom God loveth he loveth to the end and hee whom God loveth to the end must needs bee saved in the end and so I end And thus have I blowne the smoaking flaxe in my Text and you see what light it affordeth to our understanding and warmth to our consciences what remaineth but that I pray to God to kindle in us this light and inflame this heate more and more to revive the spirit of the humble to cheare up the drouping lookes and cure the wounded consciences and heale the broken hearts of them that mourne for their sinnes that is to beare up the bruised and bowed reed that it be not broken and revive and kindle againe the dying lampe that it bee not quite extinguished So be it O Father of mercy for the passion of thy Sonne through the Spirit of grace To whom three persons and one God bee ascribed all honour glory praise and thanks-giving now and for ever Amen THE STILL VOICE A Sermon preached before the high Commission in his Graces Chappell at Lambeth Novemb. 20. 1619. THE THIRD SERMON MATTH 12.19 Hee shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets Most REVEREND c. IN these words we have set before us in the person of our Saviour an Idea and perfect image of meeknesse the characters whereof are three 1. Calmenesse in affection He will not strive 2. Softnesse and lownesse in speech Hee will not cry c. 3. Innocency in action He will not breake c. 1. Impatience is contentious He will not strive 2. Contention is clamorous He will not cry 3. Clamour is querulous No man shall heare his voice in the street If it be objected that he did strive and that with such vehemency that he sweat bloud and that hee did cry and that very loud for as wee reade Hebr. 5.7 he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and that his voice was heard in the streets when he stood up in the last day the great day of the Feast John 7.37 and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke wee need not flye to Anselme and Carthusians allegory for the matter who thus glosse upon the words of my Text His voice shall not be heard in the streets that is in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Such Delian divers may spare their paines for the objections are but shallow and admit of a very facile solution without any forced trope Hee will not strive viz. in revenge but in love he will not cry in anger but in zeale neither shall his voice be heard in the street viz. vox querelae but doctrinae no voice of complaint but of instruction or comfort So that the three members in this sentence are like the three strings in a Dulcimer all Unisons Wherefore in the handling of this Text I will strike them all together Seneca in his books of clemency Cambden hist Reg. Eliz. Seneca l. 1. de clem Conditum imò constrictum apud te ferrum sit summa parsimonia etiam vilissimi sanguinis humili loco positis litigare in rixam procurrere liberius est leves inter pares ictus sunt regi quoque vociferatio verborumque intemperantia non ex Majestate est which Queene Elizabeth so highly esteemed that shee gave them the next place to the holy Scriptures reades a divine Lecture to a Prince in these words Let thy sword not onely be put up in the sheath but also tyed fast in it bee sparing of the meanest and basest bloud It is for men of lower condition to fall into quarrels and strifes equals may exchange blowes one with another without much danger it standeth not with the Majesty of a Prince to engage himselfe in any quarrell or fight because he hath no equall to contend with him so far ought it to be from a Prince to brawle or wrangle that the straining of his voice is unbefitting him upon any occasion whatsoever What the wise Philosopher prescribeth to a good Prince the Prophet Esay describeth in our King Messias who was so milde in his disposition that hee was never stirred to passion so gentle in his speech that he never strained his voice in choler so innocent in his actions that he never put forth his strength to hurt any We reade in the booke of a 1. Kin. 19.11 12. Kings that there was a mighty wind but God was not in the wind and after the wind an earth-quake but God was not in the earth-quake and after the earth-quake a fire but God was not in the fire and after the fire a still small voice in which God was There God was in the still voice but here the Evangelist out of the Prophet informeth us that there was a small still voice in
cause in favour of the defendant and being taxed for it by his friends in private shewing them the coyn he received demanded of them quis possit tot armatis resistere who were able to stand against so many in complete armour Steele armour is bullet or musket proofe but nothing except the feare of God is gold or silver proofe Nothing can keepe a Judge from receiving a reward in private in a colourable cause but the eye of the Almighty who seeth the corrupt Judge in secret and will reward him openly if not in his lower Courts on earth yet in his high Court of Star-chamber in heaven 5 All corruption is not in bribes hee who for hope of advancement or for favour or for any by-respect whatsoever perverteth judgement is not cleere from corruption though his hands be cleane The Judges who absolved the beautifull strumpet Phryne had their hands cleane but their eyes foule The Judges who absolved Murena that by indirect meanes purchased the Consulship of Rome are not taxed for taking any bribe from him yet was their judgment corrupt because that which swayed them in judgment was not the innocency of Murena but his modest carriage together with his sickness then upon him moving them unto compassion An upright Judge must in a morall sense be like Melchisedek without Father or Mother kiffe or kin I meane in justice hee must take no notice of any affinity or consanguinity friendship or favour or any thing else save the merits of the cause to which 6 Hee must give a full hearing for otherwise the Poet will tell him that g Sen. in med Qui aliquid statuit parte inauditá alterá aequum licet statuerit baud aequus est though the sentence he gives may be just yet he cannot be just The eare is not only the sense of discipline or learning as the Philosopher speaketh but of faith also as the Apostle teacheth yea and of truth also and justice Though a Judge need not with Philip stop one of his eares while the accuser is speaking yet ought he alwayes to reserve an eare for the defendant and according to the ancient decree of the Areopagites h Demost orat de coron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heare both parties with like attention and indifferency their full time Albeit our Lord and Saviour knew the hearts of men which no earthly Judge can yet to prescribe a rule to all Judges hee professeth sicut audio sic judico i Joh. 5.30 as I heare so I judge Never any Romane Emperour was so much censured with injustice and folly as k Sueton. in Claud. Claudius Caesar and the reason why hee so oft mistooke was because hee often sentenced causes upon the hearing of one side only and somtimes upon the full hearing of neither But of hearing you heare every day not onely the Preachers at the Assizes but the Counsell on both parts call upon you for it I would you heard as oft of that which I am to touch in the next place without which hearing is to no purpose 7 Expedition If the time had not prevented me I would have long insisted upon the prolonging of suits in all Courts of justice For a man can come into none of them but hee shall heare many crying with him in the Poet Quem das finem Rex magne laborum When shall we leave turning Ixions wheele and rowling Sisyphus stone O that we had an end either way long delayed justice often more wrongeth both parties than injustice either I am not ignorant of the colourable pretence wherewith many excuse these delayes affirming that questions in law are like the heads of Hydra when you cut off one there arise up two in the place of it which if it were so as it argueth a great imperfection in our laws which they who are best able make no more haste to supply than beggars to heale the raw flesh because these gaine by such defects as they by shewing their sores so it no way excuseth the protraction of the ordinary suits disputes and demurres in which there is no more true controversie in point of law than head in a sea-crab 8 Of courage and resolution I shall need to adde nothing to what hath beene spoken because the edge of your sword of justice hath a strong backe the authority of a most religious and righteous Prince under whom you need not feare to doe justice but rather not to execute justice upon the most potent delinquent 9 There remaines nothing but Equity to crowne all your other vertues which differeth but little from moderation above enforced for moderation is equity in the minde as equity is moderation in the sentence Bee not over just saith l Eccl. 7.16 Solomon but moderate thy justice with equity and mitigate it with mercy for summum jus est summa injuria justice without mercy is extreme cruelty and mercy without justice is foolish pity both together make Christian equity Therfore these two vertues resemble Castor and Pollux which if either alone appeare on the mast is ominous but both together promise a prosperous voyage or like the metals which are so termed quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the veynes succeed one the other after the veyne of one metall you fall upon the veyne of another so in scripture you shall finde a sequence of these vertues as in the Prophet Micah m Micah 6.8 Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and love mercy and in Zechary n Zech. 7.9 Execute true judgement and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother and in Solomon o Pro. 21.21 Hee that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy findeth life righteousnesse and honour To gather then up at length the scattered links of my discourse to make a golden chaine for your neckes Be instructed O ye Judges of the earth either Judges made of earth earthly men or made Judges of the earth that is controversies about lands tenures and other earthly and temporall causes serve the Lord of heaven in feare and rejoice unto him with trembling bee religious in your devotion moderate in your passions learned in the lawes incorrupt in your courts impartiall in your affections patient in hearing expedite in proceeding resolute in your sentence and righteous in judgement and execution So when the righteous Judge shall set his tribunall in the clouds and the unrighteous Judge as being most contrary to him shall receive the heaviest doome ye that are righteous Judges as being likest to him shall receive a correspondent reward and bee taken from sitting upon benches on earth to be his Assessours on his throne in heaven To whom c. THE APOSTOLICK BISHOP A Sermon preached at the Consecration of the L. B. of Bristow before his Grace and the Lord Keeper of the Great Seale and divers other Lords Spirituall and Temporall and other persons of eminent quality
see thy selfe in heaven with one eye than to see thy selfe in hell with both better hoppe into life with one legge than runne to eternall death with both better without a right hand to bee set with the sheepe at Gods right hand than having a right hand to bee set at Gods left hand and afterwards with both thine hands bee bound to bee cast into hell fire c ver 44.46.48 where the worme never dyeth and the fire is not quenched and againe and a third time where the worme never dyeth and the fire is not quenched At the mention whereof it being the burthen of his dolefull Sonnet our Saviour perceiving the eares of his auditors to tingle in the words of my text hee yeeldeth a reason of that his so smart and biting admonition saying For every one shall be salted c. and withall hee sheweth them a meanes to escape that unquenchable fire which they so much dreaded and to kill the immortall worme which even now began to bite them The meanes to escape the one is to bee salted here with fire and the meanes to kill the other is to be salted here with salt for salt preserveth from that putrefaction which breedeth that worme He who now is salted with the fire of zeale or heart-burning sorrow for his sinnes shall never hereafter bee salted with the fire of hell this fire will keepe out that as d Ovid. Met. l. 2. Saevis compescuit ignibus ignes Jupiters fire drove out Phaetons and hee who macerateth here his fleshly members with the salt of Gods uncorrupt word and the cleansing grace of his spirit shall never putrefie in his sinnes nor feele the torment of the never dying worme The Philosophers make three partitions as it were in the soule of man the first they call the reasonable or seate of judgement the second the irascible or seat of affections the third the concupiscible or the seat of desires and lusts In the reasonable part they who knew nothing of the fall of man and originall corruption find little amisse but in the concupiscible they note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something like superfluous moisture inclining to luxury in the irascible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something like cold or rawnesse enclining to feare behold in my text a remedy for both fire for the one and salt for the other And that wee may not lose a sparke of this holy fire or a graine of this salt so soveraigne let us in a more exact division observe 1 Two kindes of seasoning 1 With fire 2 With salt 2 Two sorts of things to bee seasoned 1 Men without limitation Every 2 Sacrifices without exception All. God e Gen. 4.4 had respect unto Abel and his sacrifice first to Abel and then to his offering hee accepteth not the man for his sacrifice but the sacrifice for the mans sake First therefore of men and their salting with fire and after of sacrifices and their salting with salt Every one shall bee salted with fire Saint f Hieron in hunc locum Mire dictum est c. ille verè victima domini est qui corpus animam a vitus emundando Deo per amorem consecratur nec sale aspergitur sed igne consumitur quando non peccati tantum contagio pellitur sed praesentis vitae delectatio tollitur futurae conversationi totā mente suspiratur Jerome was much taken with this speech of our Saviour it is saith he an admirable saying That which is seasoned with salt is preserved from corruption of vermine that which is salted with fire loseth some of the substance with both the sacrifices of the old Law were seasoned such a sacrifice in the Gospell is hee who cleansing his body and soule from vice by love consecrateth himselfe to God who then it not onely sprinkled with salt but also consumed with fire when not onely the contagion of sinne is driven away but also all delight of this present life is taken away and wee sigh with our whole soule after our future conversation which shall bee with God and his Angels in heaven It is newes to heare of salting of men especially with fire an uncouth expression yet used by our Saviour to strike a deeper impression into the mindes of his hearers and verily the Metaphor is not so hard and strained as the duty required is harsh and difficult to our nature It went much against flesh and blood to heare of plucking out an eye or cutting off an hand or foot yet that is nothing in comparison to salting with fire salt draweth out the corrupt blood and superfluous moisture out of flesh but fire taketh away much of the substance thereof if not all For the fattest and best parts of all sacrifices were devoured by the flame of such things as were offered to God by fire If such a salting bee requisite wee must then not onely part with an eye or a hand or a foot but even with heart and head and whole body to be burned for the testimony of the Gospell if so the case stand that either we must leave our body behind us or wee leave Christ Such a salting is here prescribed by our high Priest as draweth out not onely corrupt moisture but consumeth much of the flesh also yea sometimes all that is not onely bereaveth us of superfluous vanities and sinfull pleasures but even of our chiefe comforts of life it selfe our friends our estates our honours yea sometimes our very bodies So hot is this fire so quicke is this salt Those that are redeemed by Christs blood must thinke nothing too deare for him who paid so deare for them rather than forfeit their faith and renounce the truth they must willingly lay all at stake for his sake who pawned not onely his humane body and soule but after a sort his divine person also to satisfie the justice of God for us Every one How farre this Every one extends and what this salting with fire signifieth the best Interpreters ancient and latter are not fully agreed Some restraine every one to the reprobate only and by fire understand hell-fire others to the elect onely and by fire understand the fire of Gods spirit or grace burning out as it were and consuming our naturall corruptions They who stand for the former interpretation conceive that Christ in these words yeeldeth a reason why hee said that hell-fire shall never bee quenched Ver. 48. for every one that is say they of the damned in hell shall bee salted with that fire the fire shall be to their bodies as salt is to flesh which keepeth it from putrefying O cruell mercy of hellish flames O saving destruction O preservation worse than perdition O fire eternally devouring and yet preserving its owne fuell O punishment bringing continuall torments to the damned and continuing their bodies and soules in it It is worse than death to be kept alive to eternall pains it is
living God because God dwelleth remaineth in our souls our souls in our bodies our bodies in the Church the Church in the world There are many other reasons of this appellation but the Apostle dwelleth most upon this of dwelling Where God dwelleth there is his Temple but he dwelleth in our hearts by faith we are therefore his Temple If exception bee made to this reason that dwelling proveth a House but not a Temple l Cal. in hunc locum De homine si dicatur hic habitat non erit protinus templum sed domus prophana sed in Deo hoc speciale est quod quemcunque locum suâ dignatur praesentiâ eum sanctificat Calvin answereth acutely that if wee speake of the habitation of a man wee cannot from thence conclude that the place where he abideth is a Temple but God hath this priviledge that his presence maketh the place wheresoever hee resideth necessarily a Temple Whereas the King lyeth there is the Court and where God abideth there is the Church It might bee sayd as truly of the stable where Christ lay as of the place where God appeared to Jacob This is the house of God and the gate of heaven Here I cannot but breake out into admiration with Solomon and say m 1 Kin. 8.27 The heaven of heavens cannot containe thee O Lord and wilt thou dwell in my house in the narrow roome of my heart Isocrates answered well for a Philosopher to that great question What is the greatest thing in the least n Isoc ad Dem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The minde said hee in mans body But Saint Paul teacheth us to give a better answer to wit God in mans soule And how fitly hee tearmeth here believers the Temple of God will appeare most evidently by paralleling the inward and outward Temple of God the Church and the soule 1 First Churches are places exempt from legall tenures and services and redeemed from common uses in like manner the minde of the faithfull and devout Christian is after a sort sequestred from the world and wholly dedicated to God 2 Secondly Temples are hallowed places not by censing or crossing or burning tapers or healing it over with ashes and drawing the characters of the Greeke and Hebrew Alphabet after the manner of popish consecration but by the o Joh. 17.17 Word and Prayer by which the faithfull are also consecrated Sanctifie them O Lord with thy truth thy Word is truth 3 Thirdly Temples are places of refuge and safety and where more safety than in the houshold of faith God spared the City for the Temples sake and hee spareth the whole world for the Elects sake 4 Fourthly the Temple continually sounded with vocall and instrumentall musicke there was continuall joy singing and praising God and doth not the Apostle teach us that there is p Eph. 5.19 joy in the holy Ghost and continuall melody in the hearts of beleevers 5. Fiftly in the Temple God was to bee q Phil 3.3 worshipped and Christ teacheth that the true r John 4.24 worshippers of God worship him in spirit and in truth and Saint Paul commandeth us to ſ 1 Cor. 6.20 worship and glorifie God in our body and spirit which are his 6. Sixtly doe not our feet in some sort resemble the foundation our legges the pillars our sides the walls our mouth the doore our eyes the windowes our head the roofe of a Temple Is not our body an embleme of the body of the Church and our soule of the queere or chancell wherein God is or should be worshipped day and night The Temple of God is not lime sand stone or timber saith t Lact. divin instit l. 5. c. 8. Templum Dei non sunt ligna lapides sed homo qui Dei figuram gestat quod Templum non auro gemmarum donis sed virtutum muneribus ornatur Lactantius but man bearing the image of God and this Temple is not adorned with gold or silver but with divine vertues and graces If this be a true definition of a Temple and description of the Ornaments thereof they are certainly much to be blamed who make no reckoning of the spirituall Temple of God in comparison of the materiall who spare for no cost in imbellishing their Churches and take little care for beautifying their soules Hoc oportet facere illud non omittere they doe well in doing the one but very ill in not doing the other It will little make for the glory of their Church to paint their rood-lofts to engrave their pillars to carve their timber to gild their altars to set forth their crosses with jewells and precious stones if they want that precious pearle which the rich Merchant man sold all that hee had to buy to have golden miters golden vessels Mat. 13.46 golden shrines golden bells golden snuffers and snuffe-dishes if as Boniface of Mentz long agoe complained Their Priests are but wooden or leaden Saint u Amb. Auro non placent quae auro non emuntur Jnven sat 11. Fictilis nullo violatus Jupiter auro Ambrose saith expresly That those things please not God in or with gold which can bee bought with no gold In which words hee doth not simply condemne the use of gold or silver in the service of God no more than Saint x 1 Pet. 3.3 Peter doth in the attire of godly Matrons Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparrell but let it be in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price but he Lactantius both speak comparatively and their meaning is that the chief adorning of Churches is not with the beauty of colours but of holinesse not with the lustre of pearles and precious stones but with the shining of good workes not with candles and tapers but with the light of the Word not with sweet perfumes but with a savour of life unto life It will bee to little purpose to sticke up waxe lights in great abundance in their Churches after they have put out the pure light of Gods Word or hid it as it were under a bushell in an unknowne tongue Rhenamus reporteth that hee saw at Mentz two Cranes standing in silver into the belly whereof the Priests by a device put fire and frankincense so artificially that all the smoake and sweet perfume came out at the Cranes beakes A perfect embleme of the peoples devotion in the Romish Church the Priests put a little fire into them they have little warmth of themselves or sense of true zeale and as those Cranes sent out sweet perfumes out at their beaks having no smelling at all thereof themselves so these breath out the sweet incense of zealous praiers and thanksgiving whereof they have no sense or understanding at all because they pray in an unknowne tongue And so from the
keep the other above As Fishermen so likewise the Fishers of men in the draw-net of the Gospel make use both of corke and lead the generall promises like corke beare us up in hope the conditions like lead keep us downe in feare These conditions cannot bee performed without grace therefore all must implore divine aide yet grace performeth them not without the concurrence of our will We must therefore exercise our naturall faculties we must seeke the Kingdome of God we must strive to enter in at the narrow gate wee must search for wisedome as for treasure we must labour for the meat that perisheth not we must stirre up the graces of God in us we must work out our salvation with feare and trembling t Cic. lib. 2. de orat Lepidus lying all along upon the grasse cryed out Utinam hoc esset laborare O that this were to labour and get the mastery so many stretching themselves upon their ivory beds and living at ease in Sion say within themselves Utinam hoc esset militare O that this were to goe in warfare and fight under the crosse but let them not deceive themselves heaven is not got with a wish nor paradise with a song nor pardon with a sigh nor victory with a breath it will cost us many a blow and wound too before we overcome Observ 3 There can be no conquest without a fight nor fight without an enemy who are then our enemies nay rather who are not evill angels men the creatures and our selves angels by suggestions men by seduction and persecution the creatures by presenting baits and provocations and our selves by carnall imaginations lusts and affections fight against the spirit of grace and kingdome of Christ in us Omnes necessarii omnes adversarii Against all these enemies of our peace with God wee hang up a flag of defiance in our crisme and lift up our ensigne when we are crossed in the forehead and proclaime a warre under Christs banner in our renouncing the Divell and all his workes which beginneth at the Font and endeth at our Grave Philip graced his warre against the Phocenses and our Ancestors their exploits against the Saracens for Palaestine with the title of Bellum sacrum the holy Warre but neither of their expeditions and martiall attempts so properly deserved that appellation as this I am now to describe unto you Those warres were for Religion in truth or pretence but this warre is Religion and true Christianity and the weapons of this warfare are no other than holy duties and divine vertues which by some are reduced to three 1. Prayer 2. Fasting 3. Almes-deeds For say they as our enemies are three the Divell the Flesh the World so they tempt us to three vices especially 1. Pride 2. Luxury 3. Avarice Now our strongest weapon 1 Against pride is humble prayer 2 Against luxurie frequent fasting 3 Against avarice charitable almes Howbeit though these are the most usuall and if I may so speake portable armes of a Christian yet there are in his armorie many more and some more forcible than these which St. u Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17 18 Paul taketh out and gilds over with these sacred attributes the sword of the Spirit the helmet of salvation the shield of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse the girdle of truth the shooes of preparation of the Gospel of peace As this warre is thus holy in respect of the weapons used in it so much more in respect of the Prince that decreeth it the Heraulds that proclaime it the field where it is fought and the cause for which it is undertaken The Prince who decreeth this warre is the Holy One of Israel the Heraulds that proclaime it are the Ministers of the Gospel the field where the battell is fought is the militant Church the end for which it is undertaken is the advancement of Christs kingdome of grace in us and us in the kingdome of glory The Roman Historians divide their warres into three kinds 1 Externa forreine 2 Civilia civill 3 Servilia servile Forreine against other States Civill against seditious Citizens Servile against mutinous slaves This our warre partaketh of all these three kinds and may be termed both a forrein a civill and a servile warre A forrein in respect of Sathan and his band A civill in respect of the world A servile in respect of the flesh and slavish lusts that warre against the Spirit In other warres some are exempted by their calling as Priests some by their sexe as women some by their yeares as old men and children some by their indisposition of body or minde as sicke and impotent persons not able to beare armes but in this warre it is otherwise none can challenge any priviledge Not Priests for they blow the trumpet and give the onset not children for as soone as they are borne they are enrolled in the Captaines booke and are crosse-signed for this service in baptisme and it may be said of many of them as x Pet. Dam. serm de sanct Vict. Prius vicit quam vincere noscet Damianus spake of St. Victor the confessour He conquered before he could know what it was to conquer and St. Cyprian of martyred infants for Christ in his dayes y Cyp. ep 4. Aetas necdum habilis ad pugnam idonea extitit ad coronam The age which was not yet fit for warre was found worthy to receive a crowne Not women for they fight daily the good fight of faith and many of them are crowned in heaven with white and red garlands white consisting of lillies in token of their chastity and innocent purity red consisting of roses in testimony of their z Cyp. de â—aâ— viâ—g â—ortior 〈◊〉 viâ—is toâ—quenâ— uâ— iâ—veâ—tutor blood shed for the name of Christ Not aged and infirme persons for like Saint * 2 Cor 12 10. Paul when they are weake then they are strong nay when they are weakest then they are strongest when they are weakest in body they are strongest in spirit when they lye on their death-bed and are not able to stirre hand nor foot they grapple with the a 1 Pet. 5.8 roaring Lion that runneth about seeking whom hee may devoure and conquer him by their faith In other warres though the fight last many houres yet in the end either the night or the weather or the victory or the flight on one side parteth the armies and oftentimes necessity enforceth on both sides a truce for a time but this warre admitteth no intermission abideth no peace or truce all yeelding is death and treaties of peace mortall In all other battels hee that killeth conquereth and hee that is slaine is conquered but in this the persecuters who slay are b Cyp. dâ— laps Seâ—â—ciunt toâ—â— toâ—quentibus foâ—â—torâ—s pulsantes laâ—â—ntâ—s unâ—â—las pulsâ—ta lâ—matâ— membra vicerunt conquered and the Martyrs who are slaine and breath out their soules with a triumphant Io Paean in
opposed to vertues but to vices also Our way to heaven is like the course of a ship in the Sicilian sea betweene two rockes called the Symplegades the one lying on the right hand the other on the left betweene which the channell is so narrow that few seeke to decline the one but they dash on the other Incidit in Scillam qui vult vitare Charybdim As those that goe upon ropes or passe over a narrow bridge if they be not exceeding carefull when the body swayeth or the foot slippeth one way by hastily leaning too far the other way they fall irrecoverably so if we be not very watchfull over our wayes in declining one vitious extremity ere we are aware we passe the middle and are upon the other I need not goe farre for an instance this Corinthian before he fell into this snare of Satan was puft up in pride and sinned presumptuously but after the heavie censure of the Church for his incestuous marriage and the remorse of his owne conscience for it he fell into the contrary extreme took on so far and plunged himselfe into so deepe sorrow that he was in great danger to be swallowed up in the gulfe of despaire Demea offended not so much in rigour towards his children at the the first as afterwards in indulgency when he felt the smart of his own rod. None usually so exceed in mirth and run into that riot of pleasure as melancholy men when they are out of that humour This stratagem serves Satans turne as well in matter of faith as maners For as vices are in both extremes and vertue in the middle so oftentimes errours in doctrine are in both extremes and truth in the middle by over-reaching against one heresie we wrong the truth hurt our selves and fall upon the errour in the other extreme St. p Vâ—◠〈◊〉 tâ—â— Câ—gâ—â—â— caâ—â— Jâ— Regis Basil in his heat of opposition to Sabellius his heresie was transported so farre that he came within the Verge of the opposite heresie and uttered some inconvenient speeches concerning the Trinity St. Austine likewise in his zeale against the Pelagians who sleightned baptisme went too farre in urging the necessity thereof pronouncing all children that died unbaptized to be damned And how many are there among us who out of hatred of the Antichristian tyranny condemne all Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy out of detestation of superstitious rites dislike even decent ceremonies in opposition to garish and idolatrous trimming of Temples are brought to dis-allow all cost in adorning and beautifying Christian Churches 6 The sixt stratagem policy or device of Satan is to turne himselfe into an Angell of light and thereby to perswade the children of light that his suggestions are the motions of Gods holy Spirit This he attempteth and often effecteth by observing what gifts and graces are most eminent in Gods children and to what actions of piety or charity they are most addicted and subtilly under the colour and resemblance of these drawing them to those neighbour vices that seeme to have most affinity with their Christian perfections like as if a cunning Lapidarie should insinuate into the company of a rich Merchant and getting a sight of his cabbinet of Jewels should cheat him with counterfeit stones in stead of them To discover this plot of Satan more apparently 1 Religion is a true jewell Superstition a counterfeit 2 Humility a jewell Pusillanimity a counterfeit 3 Spirituall wisedome a jewell Worldly policy a counterfeit 4 Magnificence a jewell Prodigality a counterfeit 5 Tendernesse of conscience a jewell Scrupulosity a counterfeit 6 Severity a jewell Cruelty a counterfeit 7 Clemency a jewell Indulgence a counterfeit 8 Zeale a jewell Indiscreet fervour a counterfeit 9 Diligent search into divine mysteries a jewell curiosity a counterfeit 10 Inward peace a jewell Carnall security a counterfeit 11 Confidence in God a jewell Presumption a counterfeit 12 Constancy a jewell Pertinacy a counterfeit Here then is Satans masterpiece to rob us of our precious jewels of grace and deceive us with counterfeit in their roome by name to adulterate and sophisticate the former vertues by the later vices 1 Religion by Superstition 2 Humility by Pusillanimity 3 Spirituall wisedome by Policy 4 Magnificence by Prodigality 5 Tendernesse of conscience by Scrupulosity 6 Severity by Cruelty 7 Clemency by Indulgence 8 Zeale by Indiscreet fervour 9 Diligence by Curiosity 10 Inward peace by Carnall security 11 Confidence by Presumption 12 Constancy by Pertinacy Saul was most zealous for the law of Moses this his fervour Satan inflaming enraged him against the Apostles and Disciples whom he as then thought to be capitall enemies to the law in this his rage hee makes havocke of the Church of God deeming that he could not doe better service to God than to be an instrument to put to death the dearest servants of Christ The great love St. Cyprian the Martyr bare to the Orthodoxe faith and the Professours thereof bred in him a vehement detestation of Heresie and Heretikes upon this Satan works and draweth him by degrees to question then to condemn their baptism and lastly to presse the necessity of rebaptizing those that were baptized by them Theodosius his infinite desire of the Church's peace was a most commendable and Christian vertue in him yet Satan made his advantage of it working him to some connivence at the Arrians which much prejudiced the Orthodoxe Professours Who can sufficiently extoll Constantine the great his love to Bishops and Church-men yet Satan abused this his pious respect to the Clergie in such sort that when divers Bishops brought inditements one against another for adultery and other foule crimes he never so much as looked upon their papers but presently burned them saying that rather than any should espie the nakednesse of those his spirituall Fathers he would cast his Princely robe over them to cover them Whosoever readeth the story of St. Monica would thinke that a sonne could never doe too much for such a mother who took so much pains and shed so many tears for his conversion Neither was she more carefull for him than he thankfull to her and would you thinke that Satan could sucke poyson out of so sweet a flower as is filiall obedience to a gracious mother yet he doth by inducing St. Austine to pray for her soule after she was dead How was he brought to this Did he beleeve that his mothers soule was in Purgatory or that she needed any prayer That conceit he disclaimeth in the very same place where he prayeth for her Credo quod jam feceris quod te rogo sed voluntaria oris mei opproba Domine For p Aug. Confes l. 9. c. 13. my mother on her death-bed desired but this one thing of me that I would remember her in my devotions at thine Altar 7 The seventh stratagem policy or device of Satan is to make advantage of time not only by alluring every age to the peculiar vices thereof as children to
faire to behold and the fruits of their lips sweet to taste 4 In the midst of Paradise was the tree of life in our Church Christ crucified on whom whosoever feedeth by faith shall live for ever So that what Jacob spake of the place where he was may be sayd of our Church This is no other than the house of God For albeit there be many plants in this Garden which the Lord hath not planted many wild branches that need pruning many dead not enlived by Christ many poysonous weeds many flowers faire in shew but of a stinking savour and no marvell for in the Arke there was a Cham in Abrahams house an Ishmael in Jacobs family a Reuben in Davids Court an Absalom in the number of Christs Disciples a Judas nay in heaven a Lucifer Yet sith our Church striveth to pluck up these weeds and unsavourie or unfruitfull plants and desires to be freed of them it may truely be called the Garden of God For as St. i Ad Felician Austine saith The Goats must feed with the sheepe till the chiefe shepheard come Ille nobis imperavit congregationem sibi reservavit separationem ille dabit separare qui nescit errare 2 Touching our Rulers and Governours resemblance to the man Adam whom God appointed Ruler over all the creatures was furnished with gifts agreeable God made greater lights to rule the day and night so should they be great in wisdome and great in goodness that are to enlighten others I am not to flatter you nor to reprove you happy is that Church whose Rulers are so qualified 3 Touching the comparison of Adams placing in Paradise with our calling 1 I note that God was not wooed with friendship nor won with mony nor swayed with affection to place Adam in Paradise but of his own voluntary motion he placed him there Let us tread in the steps of our heavenly Father When k Omph. in vit Clem. Clement the fift Bishop of Rome was importuned by his kindred and offred mony to conferre a benefice upon an unworthy man he answered Nolo obtemperare sanguini sed Deo let us take on us the like resolution For what an uncomely thing is it to set a leaden head upon a golden body to make fooles rulers of wise men 2 I note that Adam did not ambitiously affect this place nor by indirect means sought to winde himselfe into it but God tooke him by the hand and placed him there but now I feare St. Jeromes speech is true of divers Presbyteratus humilitate despectâ festinamus episcopatum auro redimere 3 I note Adam was not created in Paradise but by his maker placed in it Let mee apply this to you the right worshipfull Governours of this Citie You were not born but brought by God to this rule and governement though as clouds you soare aloft yet were you but vapours drawne from the earth it is God that hath lifted up your heads as he raised David from the sheepefold and Joseph from the dungeon Wherefore in acknowledgment of your owne unworthinesse and Gods goodnesse to you say you with l Gen. 32.10 Jacob With my staffe passed I over this Jordan Say you with David m 1 Sam. 18.11 Quis ego sum aut quae est cognatio mea Ascribe the glory of your wealth and honour to God kisse the blessed hand that hath lifted you up and consider with me in the next place why God placed you here 4 Touching Adams dressing and keeping Paradise and your charge St. Ambrose well observeth that though Paradise needed no dressing yet God would have Adam to dresse it that his example might be a law to his posteritie to dresse and keepe the place of their charges It is not enough for you to be good men ye must be good rulers He that hath an office must attend upon his office it is opus oneris as well as opus honoris Yee must not be like antickes in great buildings which seeme to beare much but indeed sustaine nothing neither must ye lay the whole burden upon other mens shoulders sith the key of governement is layd on yours Now in dressing the Garden three duties are especially to be required 1 To cast and modell the Garden into a comely forme Of which I need to speake nothing Your forme of governement may be a president to other Cities of this kingdome strangers have written in praise of it 2 To root up and cast out stinking weeds Among which I would commend two to your speciall care 1 Papisme 2 Puritanisme I deny not but that it belongeth to the speciall care of our Bishops to plucke up these weeds yet as Judas sayd to Simon Helpe thou me in my lot and I will helpe thee in thine so ought both Spirituall and Temporall Governours joyne hands in rooting out these weeds 1 Of Papisme In the dayes of Jehosaphat that good King it is recorded that the high places were not taken away because the people did not set their heart to seeke the God of their Fathers The Papists seeke to their God of Rome the n Distinc 96. Pope as the Canonists stile him not to the God of heaven nor the God of their Fathers Did their Forefathers in the Primitive Church equall traditions with Scripture consecrate oratories to Saints pray in an unknown tongue mutilate the Sacrament adore the wafer and call it their maker did they sell indulgences to free men from Purgatorie Saint Peter taught us to bee subject to o 1 Pet. 2.13 every humane ordinance St. Paul commandeth every p Rom. 13 1. soule to be subject to the higher powers The Primitive Christians in q Tert. ad Sâ—p Tertullians time though they were cruelly persecuted by the heathen Emperours and had power and strength enough to revenge themselves yet they never lifted up their hands against any of those bloudy Tyrants Heare their profession in Tertullian Nos nec Nigriani nec Cassiani sumus we are no Nigrians no Cassians no Rebels no Traitors we fill all your Cities Islands Townes yea your Palace and Senate What were we not able to doe if it were not more agreeable to our Religion to be killed than upon any pretence to kill On the contrarie the Papists teach that it is not onely lawfull but a meritorious act to lay hands upon the Lords annointed if hee favour not their Idolatries and Superstitions witnesse Cardinall Como his instructions to Parry and Sixtus his oration in defence of the Jacobine that murdered Henrie the third Had the Apostles preached this faith to the world should they have converted the world Was this the practice of the Primitive Church Is this Religion to make murder spirituall resolution to eate their God upon a bargaine of bloud Cannot God propagate his truth but by these wicked and damnable meanes Origen writeth that some unskilfull Emperickes dealt with their Patients not to consult with learned Physicians lest by them their ignorance should be
what face doe I see this is none of my workmanship I never drew this feature Saint r Jerom. ep ad Furiam Quid facit in facie Christianae purpurissa cerussa fomenta libidinum impudicae mentis inditia quomodo flere potest pro peccatis suis quae lachrymis cutem nudat sulcos ducit in facie quâ fiduciâ erigat ad Deum vultus quos conditor non agnoscat Jerome takes the like up in his time as sharply What makes paint and complexion on the face of a Christian it is no other than the fire of youth the fuell of lust the evidence of an unchaste minde How can shee weep for her sinnes for feare of washing away her paint and making furrowes in her face How dare shee looke her Maker in the face who hath defaced his image in her selfe But because I see it will be to no purpose to draw this their sinne of painting in its proper colours before them for they cannot blush I therefore leave them and come to her in my Text Which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse As Novatus the Schismaticke ordained himselfe a Bishop so Jezebel the Nicolait annointed or rather painted her selfe a Prophetesse that by this meanes shee might teach more freely and perswade more powerfully The true Prophets of God received their name and calling from God and wonderfully confirmed the sincerity of their doctrine by the truth of their miracles and the truth of their miracles by the holinesse of their doctrine So many tongues as they spake with with so many testimonies so many miracles as they wrought with so many hands they signed and sealed their calling but deceivers and impostors grace themselves with high and strange titles and glorious names to bleare the eyes of the simple So Psaphon called himselfe and taught the birds to call him magnus deus ſ Run Comment in Aristot Rhet. MS. Psaphon great god Psaphon Theudas said he was some great one Simon Magus stiled himselfe the great power of God and gave it out among his scholars That hee delivered the Law to Moses in Mount Sinai in the person of God the Father and in the reigne of Tiberius appeared in the likenesse of the sonne of man and on the day of Pentecost came downe upon the Apostles in the similitude of cloven tongues Montanus arrogated to himself the title of Paracletus the comforter and to his three minions Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla the name of Prophetesses * Manes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manes bare himselfe as if hee were an Apostle immediately sent from Christ and his followers would be thought to be termed Manichei not from their mad master but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because they poured manna out of their mouthes The great Seducer of the Jewes who in Theodosius time drew thousands after him into the sea and there drowned them perswaded his followers that he was Moses and the abomination of the Turkes Mahomet calleth himselfe Gods great Prophet t Plin. nat hist lib. 1. Inscriptionis apud Graecos mira foelicitas favus Cornucopia ut vel lactis gallinacei sperare possis haustu◠Musae Pandectae inscriptiones propter quas vadimonium deseri possit at cum intraveris dii deaeque quam nihil in medio invenies Pliny derideth the vanity of the Greekes in this kinde who usually set golden titles on leaden Treatises And Heretickes alwayes like Mountebankes set out their drugs with magnificent words Nestorius though he were a condemned Hereticke yet covered himselfe with the vaile of a true Professour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ebion though he held with the Samaritans yet would be held a Christian The Turkes at this day though it appeares out of all stories that they descended from Hagar yet assume to themselves the name of Saracens The Donatist Schismatickes impropriate to their conventicles the name of the true Church And no marvell that the Salmonian off-spring of Ignatius Loyola christen themselves Jesuits sith the Prince of darknesse not only usurpeth the name but also taketh upon him the forme of an u 2 Cor. 11.14 Angel of light It is a silly shift of a bankrupt disputant in the schooles to argue a vocibus ad res from the bare name of things to their nature and yet Bristow in his motives and Cardinall Bellarmine in his booke of the notes of the Church and other of the Pope his stoutest Champions fight against us with this festraw We are say they sirnamed Catholikes therefore we are so By this kind of argument Pope Alexander the sixt his incestuous daughter might prove her selfe to be a chaste matron because she was called Lucrece Lucrecia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus And Philemon his theevish servant might prove himselfe to be honest because his name was Onesimus and the three Ptolomies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitabl◠whereof the first killed his Father and the second his Mother and the third his Brother might prove themselves to be full of naturall affection because the one was sirnamed 1 A lover of his Father Philopater the other 2 A lover of his Mother Philometor the third 3 A lover of his Brother Philodelphus Were mens names alwayes correspondent to their nature x Eras apoph in Philip. Philip of Macedon had lost a witty jest which he brake upon two brothers Hecaterus and Amphoterus thus inverting their names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He whose name is either of the two deserveth to be called both because hee is worth both and he whose name is both shall be called neither because he is of no worth at all But to throw away foyles and come to the sharpe Will they thus argue in good earnest Protestants are called Sectaries or Schismatickes and Papists Catholikes therefore they are so Will they condemne the Primitive Christians for Atheists because the heathen usually so termed them in regard they had no faith in their gods Will they brand St. Paul for an Heretick or the Truth himself for a Seducer because ignorance and malice fastened these calumnies and blasphemies upon them Protestants are termed Heretickes by Papists and are not Papists also by Protestants what gaine then the Papists hereby Papists are termed Catholikes I would know by whom If by any Protestant they know well it is but by a Sarcasme or Ironie as Alexander was called a god by the Lacedaemonians Quoniam Alexander vult esse deus sit deus Yea but they are so stiled by all that adhere to the Church of Rome and were not the Arrians called Catholikes by Arrians the Nestorians Orthodoxe by Nestorians the Novatians the best Christians by Novatians the Donatists sole members of the Church by Donatists the most impure Sect of Anabaptists the Family of love by those of their owne cut If this argument may passe for currant Papists terme themselves Catholikes therefore they are so what exception can be taken against these and the like The
Turkes call themselves Saracens therefore they are the off-spring of Sarah they of Satans Synagogue call themselves y Apoc. 3.9 Jewes therefore they are Jewes indeed the Angel of Sardis had a name that he z Apoc. 3.1 lived therefore he was not dead the Angel of * Apoc. 3.17 Laodicea said he was rich and needed nothing therfore he was not wretched miserable and poor blind and naked Jezebel called her selfe a Prophetesse therefore she was so indeed Without question Jezebel set some fairer colour upon the matter than this else she could never have dazled the eyes of Gods servants well she might offer to teach in the Church under this pretence which yet S. Paul expressely forbids a a 1 Cor. 14.34 woman to doe but certainely she could never have foyled any servant of God with so weake an argument grounded upon a bare title assumed by her selfe yet the Spirit saith that she not onely taught but prevailed also with some and seduced them To teach and seduce my servants I doubt not but at the reading of these words your thoughts trouble you and you begin to question whether this doctrine is not a seduction to teach that any of Gods servants can be seduced Can any elect child of God fall from grace Is it possible to plucke any of Christs members from his body Can the Sun-beames by any winde or tempest be stirred out of their place b 1 John 2.19 Doth not St. John dispute strongly They went away from us because they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would not have departed from us Is not St. c Cypr. de simplic Praelat Triticum non rapit ventuâ— nec arborem solidâ radice fundatam procella subvertit inanes paleae tempestate jactantur invalidae arbores turbinis incursione evertuntur Cyprians observation as true as it is elegant The winde bloweth not away the corne neither is a tree that hath taken a deepe root in the earth overthrowne in a tempest it is but chaffe which the winde scattereth abroad and they are hollow and rotten trees that are blowne downe in a tempest To dispell all mists of ambiguity and cleare the truth in this point I must acquaint you with two sorts of Christs servants or retainers at least some weare his cloth and cognizance but doe him little or no service others perform faithful service unto him some give him their names only others their hearts also some professe outwardly that they are Christians but have unbeleeving hearts others are within that they professe without some are called onely to the knowledge of the truth others are chosen also to be heires of salvation Of these latter our Saviour speakes in St. John d Joh. 10.27 28 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I will give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hands But of the former the words of my text seeme to bee meant Howbeit because the Discerner of all hearts calleth them his servants saying to seduce my servants and it is not likely that he would grace hypocrites with so honourable an appellation wee may yeeld somewhat more in this point and without prejudice to the truth acknowledge that the true servants of God and ministers also of Christ Jesus may be sometimes seduced out of the right way but not farre I am sure not irrevocably The difference betweene them and others in this respect is like that which the e Cic. tusc 1. Boni in ertorem sicut aes Corinthium in aeruginem incidunt rariùs facilius revocantur Oratour observeth betweene the Corinthian and common brasse as the brasse of Corinth is longer ere it rust and when it is rustie is sooner scowred and more easily recovers the former brightnesse than other brasse so good men are hardlier withdrawne from the true faith and more easily reclaimed from their errours than those who beare no sincere love to the truth but are wedded to their owne opinions whatsoever they are and oftentimes blinded by obstinately setting their eyes against the bright beames of the Word Out of the Arke of Noah which was a type of the Church there flew two f Gen. 8.7 birds a Raven and a Dove the Raven after hee had taken his flight returned not againe but the Dove came backe with an Olive branch in her bill The Dove saith Saint g Cypr. adver Nâ—vit Prosp l. de prom c. 7. Cyprian represented the seduced Catholike who after hee is gone out of the Church never findeth rest till hee returne backe with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth and bee reconciled to the Church But the Raven is the obstinate Hereticke who leaveth the Church with a purpose never to returne to her againe And many such Ravens have beene of late let flye out of the Arke which never returne againe or if they returne it is to prey upon the sicke and weake members of our Church and to picke out the eyes of her dearest children and I pray God wee may never have cause to renew the Poets complaint Dat veniam corvis vexat censura columbas To commit fornication Fornication as h Lyra in Apoc. c. 2. Fornicatio est quadruplex in â—nimo simulierem concupiscâ—s in actu in cultu Idolorum in amore terrenorum Lyranus harpeth upon the word is committed foure manner of wayes 1. By the impure lust of the heart 2. By the uncleane act of the body 3. By the religious worship of Images or Idols 4. By the immoderate love of earthly vanities For when the soule turneth away from God and setteth her love wholly upon vile and base creatures so farre below her that God hath placed them under her feet what doth shee but like a Lady of noble descent married to a Prince which disloyally leaveth his bed and maketh love to the groome of her chamber Certainely this is sordidum adulterium not onely filthy but base adultery Howbeit I take it this was not the staine of the Church of Thyatira but either fornication properly so called which is corporall Idolatry or idolatry which is spirituall fornication For idolatry defileth the Spirit as adultery polluteth the flâ—sh idolatry provoketh God as adultery doth man to jealousie as adultery is a just cause of separation betweene man and his wife so idolatry maketh a breach betwixt God and the soule and causeth in the end a divorce by reason of which separation for disloyalty and unfaithfulnesse Saint i Cypr. de hab virg Prius viduâ—s quam nuptas non mariti sed Christi adulteras Cyprian wittily tearmeth certaine virgins widowes before they were married wives yea and adulteresses too not to their husbands which they had not but to Christ to whom they had plighted their troth And looke how a jealous husband would bee transported with passion if hee should finde his
life of God but sent from his bosome his word of truth light into darknesse who in the fulnesse of time offered by the light of his countenance to bring us againe to Gods inaccessible brightnesse and by the vaile of his flesh not only to shelter us from the scorching flames of his Fathers fury as the pillar of cloud did the Israelites from the heate of the Sun but also by soliciting our peace to demolish that partition wall which wee had raised against our selves and to reunite us againe inseparably to him from whom wee had rent and dissevered our selves crying in the midst of you as you heare Come unto mee c. The voice of God and not of man or rather of the eternall wisedome which was God and man In these words which I terme Châ—â—sts Proclamation of grace and peace to all soule-sicke sinners wee may note 1. An invitation Come unto mee 2. The reward of our obedience I will ease you In the first part note wee 1. The party inviting Christ 2. The thing he adviseth to Come 3. The object to whom Mee 4. The parties that are envited singled out by their qualities all that are weary and heavie laden In the second part note wee 1. The party promising I. 2. The reward it selfe ease and rest will ease you Here then you see 1. Love inviting Come 2. Truth directing To mee 3. Necessity inciting All that are weary 4. Reward alluring And I will ease you 1. Love inviteth that we feare not to come 2. Truth directeth that we erre not in comming 3. Necessity inciteth that we slacke not to come 4. Reward sustaineth that wee faint not in comming Doctr. 1 Come Venite fides exigitur studium desideratur saith Saint Ambrose Christ his proselytes life must not bee as his confidence in Esay chapt 30. in ease and quietnesse Ver. 15. for then Moab-like he will soone settle on his lees and have his taste remaining in him Jerem. 48.11 The Caldean Sagda as Solinus reporteth by the spirit inclosed in it riseth from the bottome of Euphrates and so closely sticketh to the boards of the ships that passe that river that without slivering of some part of the barke it cannot be severed so sinne by the power of the evill spirit arising from the bottomlesse pit of perdition adhereth so fast to us that till our brittle Barkes of flesh be slivered off this Sagda of sinne can never be removed but like Dejanira's poysoned shirt Qua trahitur trahit illa cutem And therefore this sore travell God hath allotted to all the sonnes of Adam from the first time they become new borne babes in Christ till they breath out their languishing soules into the hands of their Redeemer to wrestle with their inbred corruptions and to seeke to shake off the sinne which hangeth on so fast that howsoever it cannot be altogether dis-severed before wee are dissolved yet it may not be a Remora to our ships much lesse get such strength as to over-rule us Howbeit because the flesh is weake where the spirit is most ready and the spirit it selfe is not so ready as it should be because the faculties thereof through the malignity of sinne are much imbezelled God spareth not by frequent Scriptures to stirre us up to goe on and traverse the way of his commandements some to rowze us up from sleep as Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Some to incite us to goe on forward when wee are raised Hebr. 12.14 as Follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see God Some to encourage us that wee faint not as Bee not weary of well doing for in due time yee shall reape if yee faint not Once indeed it was said to the Israelites Galat. 6.9 Stand still and behold the salvation of God but now Come behold and stand not still if you desire the salvation of God Now no more sit still as it was once said to the daughter of Babel but arise and depart for here is no resting place Jacob saw Angels ascending and descending but none standing or sitting on the ladder There are many rounds in our Jacobs ladder whereby wee climbe to the Mount of God Non debemus pigri remanere non debemus superbi cadere saith Saint Austine Paul that honourable vessell of God though hee laid so fast hold on Christ by faith and was so knit to him by love that hee challengeth all powers in heaven and earth to trie if they were able to separate him from the love of his Redeemer Rom. 8. Ver. 35. yet reckoning with himselfe as if hee had not comprehended him of whom hee was comprehended hee forgat that which was behinde and followed hard to the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ So true is that of Saint Bernard Ubi incipis nolle fieri melior ibi desinis esse bonus Use 1 Here then let us tracke out by the footsteps of our spirits motion how forward wee are in the way of the Lord. If the longing desire of our heart bee unsatisfied till wee enjoy againe our happy communion with God if when God saith Seeke yee my face thy soule answer Thy face Lord will I seeke if when Christ soundeth his Venite thy heart springing for joy resound Davids Ecce Loe I come and thy spirit so out-strip the slow motions of thy sluggish flesh that with the Spouse in the Canticles thou desire to bee drawne after him then bee thou assured that this is the finger of God For no man can come to Christ but hee whom the Father draweth But contrariwise if when the World saith Come wee hearken to it and for Hippomanes golden balls wee refuse to follow Christ if when the Divell saith Come wee listen to his lure and for his omnia tibi dabo bow to his will if when the flesh saith Come wee trudge to it and for lascivious lulling in Dalila's lap wee renounce him who calleth us to bee his Nazarites these unsanctified affections blab out our inward corruptions and wee shew our selves to bee the worlds darlings the Divels pesants and the fleshes slaves not Christs sheep For if it bee true Omnis qui didicit venit quisquis non venit profectò non didicit as Saint Austine rightly inferreth Doctr. 2 Unto mee Now followeth the happy terminus ad quem of our spirituall motions Satius est claudicare in viâ quà m currere extra viam halting Jacob will sooner limpe to his journies end than swift-footed Napthali posting speedily out of the way Therefore lest when God calleth us wee should with Samuel runne to Eli or linger our comming for feare of mistaking the Way himselfe chalketh us out the path of salvation saying Come to mee Foure sorts of men seeme to come to Christ yet come not as they should The first begin to come but they fall short in their way and these are
which is the first place we speak not so properly when we say that God hath any vertue as when we attribute to him all vertue in the abstract all wisdom all justice all holines all goodnes Goodnes is the rule of our will but Gods will is the rule of goodnes it selfe we are to doe things because they are just good but contrariwise things are just good because God doth them therfore if vertue be the load-stone of our love it wil first draw it to God whose nature is the perfection of all vertue As for beauty what is it but proportion colour the beauty of colour it self is light light is but a shadow or obscure delineation of God whose face darkneth the sun dazleth the eies of the Cherubins who to save them hold their wings before them like a plume of feathers A glympse wherof when the Prophet David saw he was so ravished with it that as if there were nothing else worthy the seeing it were impossible to have enough of so admirable an object he crieth out d Psa 105.4 seek his face evermore not so much for the delight he took in beholding it as for the light he received from it For beholding the glory of God as in a mirrour with open face we are changed into his image after a sort made partakers of the divine nature ô my soul saith a Saint of God mark what thou lovest for thou becommest like to that which thou likest Si coelum diligis coelum es si terram diligis terra es audeo dicere si Deum diligis Deus es if thou sincerely perfectly lovest heavenly objects thou becomest heavenly if carnall thou becomest sensuall if spirituall thou becomest ghostly if God thou becomest divine Let us stay a while consider what a wonderful change is wrought in the soule of man by the power of divine love surely though a deformed Black-a-moor look his eies out upon the fairest beauty the world can present hee getteth no beauty by it but seems the more ougly by standing in sight of so beautiful a creature the sun burns them black darkeneth their sight who long gaze upon his beams but contrarily the Sun of righteousnes the more we looke upon him the more he enlighteneth the eies Poulin in opusc Illum amemus quem amare debitum quem amplecti chastitas cui nubere virginitas c. maketh them fair their faces shine who behold him as Moses his did after he came down from the Mount where he had parley with God O then let us love to behold him the sight of whose countenance will make us fair lovely to behold let us conform our selvs to him who wil transform us into himself let us reflect the beams of our affection upon the father of lights let us knit our hearts to him whom freely to love is our bounden duty to embrace is chastity to marry is virginity to serve is liberty to desire is contentment to imitate is perfection to enjoy is everlasting happines To whom c. THE ROYALL PRIEST A Sermon preached in Saint Maries Church in Oxford Anno 1613. THE XXXVII SERMON PSAL. 110.4 The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Right Worshipfull c. THere are three principall attributes of God Wisedome Goodnesse Power Wisedome to comprehend all the good that can bee Goodnesse to will all that which in wisedome he comprehendeth Power to effect all that in goodnesse he willeth and decreeth for the manifestation of his justice and mercy to his creatures These three attributes of God shine most clearely in the three offices of Christ 1 Kingly 2 Priestly 3 Propheticall Power in his Kingly Wisedome in his Propheticall Goodnesse in his Priestly function For Christ by his Princely authority declareth especially the power by his Propheticall he revealeth the wisedome and by his Priesthood he manifesteth the goodnesse of God to all mankinde Christ as a Prophet in wisedome teacheth us what in his goodnesse he hath merited for us as a Priest and by his power he will bestow upon us as a King freedome from all miserie in the Kingdome of glory And on these three offices of Christ the three divine graces 1 Faith 2 Hope 3 Charity have a kinde of dependance 1 Faith holdeth on him as a Prophet 2 Hope as a King 3 Charity as a Priest For Faith buildeth upon the truth of his Prophesie Hope relieth upon the power of his Kingdome Charity embraceth the functions of his Priesthood whereby he washeth us from our sinnes in his owne bloud and maketh us a Apoc. 1.5 6. Kings and Priests unto God and his Father In this Psalme David as Christs Herauld proclaimeth these his titles First his Kingly Sit thou on my right hand ver 1. Be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies ver 2. Secondly his Propheticall The people shall come willingly in the beautie of holinesse ver 3. Thirdly his Priestly The Lord sware thou art a Priest ver 4. To obscure which most cleare and evident interpretation of this Propheticall Psalme although some mists of doubts have beene cast in former times yet now after the Sun of righteousnesse is risen and hath dispelled them by his owne beames nothing without impietie can be opposed to it for b Mat. 22.42 43 44. there he whom David meaneth openeth Davids meaning he whom this Prophesie discovereth discovereth this Prophesie he to whom this Scripture pointeth pointeth to this Scripture and interpreting it of the Son of man sheweth most evidently that he is the King who reigneth so victoriously ver 1. the Prophet that preacheth so effectually ver 3. and the Priest that abideth continually according to the words of my text which offer to our religious thoughts three points of speciall observation 1 The ceremony used at the consecration of our Lord The Lord sware 2 The office conferred upon him by this rite or ceremonie Thou art a Priest 3 The prerogatives of this his office which is here declared to be 1 Perpetuall for ever 2 Regular after the order 3 Royall of Melchizedek First the forme and manner of our Saviours investiture or consecration was most honourable and glorious God the Father performing the rites which were not imposition of hands and breathing on him the holy Ghost but a solemne deposition of his Father with a protestation Thou art a Priest ceremonies never used by any but God nor in the investiture of any but Christ nor his investiture into any office but his Priesthood Plin. panegyr Trasan Imperium super Imperatorem Imperatoris voce delatum est nihil magis subjecti animo factum est quam quod caepit imperare At his coronation we heare nothing but the Lord said Sit thou on my right hand The rule of the whole world is imposed upon our Saviour by command and even in this did Christ shew his obedience
setting his foot on his neck advanced himselfe blasphemously wresting the Scripture and applying those words of the Psalmist to himselfe Psal 91.13 Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Basilisk it was Pope Adrian who was afterwards choaked with a flie I could relate unto you in what Councell divine majestie is ascribed to the Pope and a power above all powers in the Councell of Lateran under Leo the tenth But I tremble at such horrible blasphemies and leave the Authors and maintainers of them to the censure of the true Melchizedek who as he is a Prince of peace so he is also Rex justitiae King of righteousnesse and will one day right himselfe and all his servants and destroy the man of sin with the breath of his mouth and brightnesse of his presence 7. The next point in which this Text instructeth us is the strength and validity of an oath God when he would shew unto us the immutability of his decree concerning Christs Priesthood confirmeth it unto him by an oath thereby declaring that the greatest evidence of truth and strongest assurance of faith between man and man nay between God and man is an oath It is the soveraigne instrument of justice the indissoluble bond of amity the safest refuge of innocency the surest warrant of fidelity the strongest sinew of all humane society Detestable therefore and â—amnable is their doctrine and practice who straine and weaken the sinew which holdeth the members of all politike bodies together who cancell that bond which being made on earth is registred in the high Court of heaven and the three persons in the blessed Trinity are witnesses thereunto who either untye this everlasting knot by cunning equivocation or cut it asunder by Papall dispensation O my deare brethren hold not with them who breake with God sweare not to their doctrine who maintaine forswearing take not part with that religion which taketh away all religious obligation Is that thinke you the Orthodoxe faith which alloweth and in some case commendeth g Aug. de mendac ad consent perfidiousnesse and treachery Is their doctrine truth Qui dogmatizant mendacium who doctrinally teach the lawfulnesse of an equivocating lye anâ— that they may verifie their doctrine of lyes belye the Truth himself and endeavour to make that which I tremble to utter Jesum ipsum h See Parsons sober reckoning with Thomas Morton and the same L. Bishop of Duresme Tract de aequivocat Jesuitam Jesus himselfe in this point a Jesuit O ubi estis fontes lachrymarum Of all beasts we have those in greatest detestation which devoure their owne young What are our words and promises our vowes and oathes but the issue of our owne mouth which they who resume and recall what doe they other than eate and devoure their owne off-spring The first that brake his allegiance in heaven was the Divell and thereby became a Divell and the first that brake promise on the earth was likewise the Divell to Adam and Eve whose scholars they shew themselves who teach that the Pope can dispense with the oath of allegiance that oathes are better broken than kept with Heretickes Such was Julius the second who if we may beleeve i Bodin de rep l. 5. c. 6. Bodin was not ashamed openly to professe Fidem dandam omnibus servandam nemini Such was Alexander the sixth who when his son Borgias had drawne in the ring-leaders of the contrary faction by faire promises and deepest protestations and oathes of pardon and reconciliation and as soon as he had them all in his power put them to the sword his father applauded this his perfidious and barbarous act and cryed out O factum benè O well done and according to my hearts desire Such was k Cocleus hist Hussit l. 5. anno 1423 Noris te dare fidem haereticis non potuisse peccare mortâ—liter â—â— servaris Martin the fifth who when Alexander Duke of Licuania had sworne to protect the Hussites wrote to him in these words Know that thou couldest not nor mightest not give faith to Heretickes and that thou sinnest mortally if thou keepest thy word and oath with them Such was Hambertus the Embassadour of l Sleia l. 6. Anno 1527. Anno 1577. Charles the fifth who when the Lady Katherine the youngest sister of that Emperour was espoused to John Frederick Duke of Saxony the instruments were drawne and sealed as soone as ever there was a change of Religion in Saxony he perswaded the young Lady to break off the match affirming openly that faith was not to be kept with Heretickes Such were the Popish Divines of Paris who both in their Sermons and printed bookes taught openly that the m Aug. Thual hist l. 63. Aperto capitein concionibus evulgatis scriptis ad fidem sectariis servandam non obligari principem contâ—ndebant allato in cam rem Concilii Constantiensis deoreto Prince was not bound to keep faith with Sectaries and to that purpose alledged a decree of the Councell of Constance Such was Clemens the seventh who when Charles the fifth had resolved upon an expedition against the Moores to which hee had formerly bound himselfe by oath sendeth unto him a Bull whereby hee releaseth him of all oathes that hee had taken for the expulsing those Infidels notwithstanding any constitution Apostolicall statute ordinance or oath to the contrary yea though ratified by the See of Rome with an expresse clause of excluding any dispensation or relaxation whatsoever Such was Julian the Popes Legate who perswaded Uladislaus King of Hungarie Bohemia to undertake a wicked warre against Amurath the Turke contrary to oath assuring him that the Pope allowed of it and there is no doubt he did so but as n Loc. ant cit Bodin observeth religiously Pontifex probavit Deus immortalis non probavit Almighty God allowed not of it for Uladislaus the King was slaine in the battell his whole army put to flight Julian the Popes Legate mortally wounded to whom as he was now breathing out his last perjured breath Gregory Sarmosa exprobated his wicked counsell and pestilent doctrine saying o I nunc Juliane dic â—egi tuo apud inferos Haereticis fidem non esse servandam Goe to Julian and tell the King now in the other world or in hell that faith is not to be kept with Heretickes and Infidels You have heard how this Text thundereth against the Fathers of the Romane Church all who embrace or practice their perfidious tenets mark I beseech you now a while how it lighteneth upon the children of our Church and all who defend the certainty as well of morall as theologicall faith As when there came a p John 12.28 voice from heaven Jesus said This voice came not because of mee Ver. 30. but for your sakes so we may truly say of the oath in my Text God tooke not it so much because of Christ to secure him
their actions or satisfie by their passions taketh away not only all merit but all worth from them both 2. It instructeth the penitent for if afflictions are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discipline and nurture then somewhat is to be learned by them It is good for mee saith h Psal 119.71 David that I was in trouble that I might learne thy statutes Blessed is he saith Saint * Greg. mor. in Job c. 5. v. 17. Gregory who is chastened of the Lord Quia eruditur ad beatitudinem because he is set in the right way to blessednesse The Greekes say in their Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines answer them both in the rime reason Nocumenta documenta that is we gain wit by our losses and the rod imprinteth learning into us What wee learne in particular by it I shall God willing declare at large hereafter this lesson shall suffice for the present That as a loving father never beateth his child without a fault so neither doth God chasten us without a cause our sins are the cords which furnish his whip Lam. 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne It is true that sinne is not the adaequate or onely cause for which God striketh his children yet is it alwayes causa sine quâ non a cause without which hee never striketh them i Joh. 9.3 Although neither the blind man his sinne nor his fathers were the cause why hee was borne blind more than other men but that through the miraculous cure of his blindnesse all might see the divine power of Christ yet certaine it is that hee and his father for their sinnes deserved it or a greater punishment Likewise Jobs sinnes were not the cause why the arrowes of the Almighty fell thicker upon him than any other but it was to make him a rare mirrour of patience and convince Satan of his false slander and to take occasion of crowning him with greater blessings in this life and everlastingly rewarding him hereafter yet Job denies not that those calamities fell justly upon him k Job 7.20 I have sinned saith he O Lord what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men 3 It comforteth all that are afflicted there are as many arguments of comfort in it as words of arguments Is any man either impoverished with losses or visited with sicknesse or strucken with soares or oppressed with heavie burdens or pined with famine or grieved with death of friends or affrighted with terrours of conscience let him lay this text of holy writ to his heart and it will presently asswage his paine and in the end if not cure his malady yet make it sufferable yea and comfortable also to him Let him thus question with himselfe Who afflicteth me It is answered God I. How proceedeth hee to afflict After warning and upon conviction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebuke What are afflictions chastisements and chasten Whom doth he thus afflict only some stubborn and obstinate sinners or desperate cast-a-wayes nay but all his children as many Why afflicteth he Because he loveth them I. It is God that smiteth me can I resist his power must I not obey his will Rebuke Hee hath given me warning before and I suffer but what I deserve Quae venit ex merito poena ferenda venit Chasten Hee inflicteth with griefe moderateth with love guideth with fatherly providence what hee ordereth mee to suffer shall I refuse nurture and shew my selfe a bastard and no sonne had I rather hee should leave me to my selfe to follow my owne courses according to the bent of my corrupt nature with a purpose to deprive mee of his glory and dis-inherite me of his kingdome As many Hee disciplineth all his children am I better than all the rest As I love His only motive herein is his love and shal I take that ill which is sent to mee in love shall I bee afraid of and refuse love tokens shall I bee grieved and dismaid because I have now more sensible experience of his care and love than ever before To joyne all together to make of them all a strong bulwarke against impatiency in all sorts of afflictions and tribulations Shall wee either stubbornly refuse or ungraciously despise or take unkindly after all faire meanes by us sleightened the deserved chastisement of our heavenly father which with great moderation and greater griefe he inflicteth upon all his deerest children in love Can we justly repine at any thing offered us upon these tearmes is not this salve of the spirit alone of it selfe able to allay the most swelling tumour of the greatest hearts griefe I rebuke and chasten as many as I love Rebuke and chasten So doth the Translatour render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly and answerably to the main intent of the Spirit but not fully and agreeably to the nature of the letter wee have no one English word capable of the whole contents of the two words in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primarily signifieth to evict or convince to give evidence of any thing or against any person to lay his sinnes open before him in such sort that hee cannot but see them and bee ashamed of them as in these passages l Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Eph. 5.11 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Psal 50.21 Bud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the evidence of things not seene and I will rebuke thee and set thy sinnes in order before thy face and Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but by the light of truth discover and openly rebuke them Likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word much more pregnant than chasten and if you will have it in one word expressed is I nurture or I discipline for the word implyeth as well instruction as correction Now out of the nature of the phrase which signifieth to rebuke upon conviction or evidently convince by reproofe and the order of the words first rebuke and then chasten All Judges and Ministers of justice are lessoned to bee better instructed and informed in the causes they sentence than usually they are to sift matters to the very bran to weigh all circumstances together before they give judgement For to reprove without cause deserveth reproofe to censure without a fault deserveth censure and to punish without conviction deserveth punishment o Fulgent ad Monimum Ipsa justitia si puniendum reum non invenerit sed fecerit injusta est Punishing justice if it fall not upon a party legally convicted is it selfe injustice and punishable in a Magistrate Now that they who are in authority may not exercise injustice in stead of executing justice 1 They must indifferently heare both parties Philip kept an eare alwayes for the defendant p Orat. de coron in prooem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demosthenes in his famous oration for Ctesiphon putteth the Athenian Judges in mind of this which he calleth
inference is pernicious To establish you in the truth of this supposition or rather hypotheticall commination it will be needfull to lay downe certaine grounds 1. That the certainty of the end no whit impeacheth the necessary use of all meanes for the attaining it For the end and meanes are coordinata and both involved in the same decree As the meanes are appointed for the end so the end is decreed to bee attained by such meanes for example the propagation of mankinde by marriage the maintaining our temporall life by food and sustenance the recovery of health by physicke the reaping the fruits of the earth by manuring and tillage the governement of the world by lawes the calling of men to the knowledge of the truth by the Word and Sacraments the keeping the children of God from presumptuous sinnes by admonitions and comminations The heathen themselves saw a glimmering of this truth for the Stoicke Philosophers who taught the foreknowledge of God and thence inferred inevitable necessity of all events according to that foreknowledge yet most strictly urged the performance of all morall duties and vertuous actions and generally the use of all meanes for the attaining that end any man proposeth to himselfe Bee it thy destiny say they to have many children by thy wife yet thou must not neglect conjugall duties be it thy destiny to recover of thy disease yet thou must not neglect the prescriptions of the Physician bee it thy destiny to conquer thine enemy yet thou must not forget to bring thy weapon with thee into the field bee it thy destiny to bee a great Professour in Philosophy yet thou must not neglect thy study bee it thy destiny to dye a rich man yet thou must not be carelesse of thy estate 2. That this and the like comminations in holy Scripture are spoken generally to all Elect as well as Reprobate and they are of speciall use to both to terrifie the Reprobate and keepe them within some bounds or at least to convince their consciences and debarre them from all excuse at the day of judgement and to stirre up the Elect to watchfulnesse over all their wayes and diligence and constancy in the use of all such meanes as by Gods grace may keepe them from backe-sliding and dangerous relapses to hold them in continuall awe and excite them to make their calling and election sure and work out their salvation with feare and trembling as Saint Austine declareth at large through his whole booke de correptione gratiá 3. That all Israelites are not true Nathaniels all converts are not absolutely so nor all penitents throughly cleansed from their sinnes many are regenerated but in part they repent of their sinnes but not of all they keepe a sweet bit under their tongue they have a Dalilah in their bosome or an Herodias at their table or a Bathsheba in their bed though they bee healed of all other diseases yet not of the plague of the heart some secret sinne hath a kinde of predominancy in them Now as the Peacockes flâ—sh if it hath but an ordinary seething growes raw againe cocta recrudescit and wounds that are not perfectly healed though they may be skinned over breake out againe and bleed afresh so a man that is not perfectly regenerated in all parts though hee hath a tast of the heavenly gift and may beleeve with Simon Magus and tremble at Gods judgements with Felix and heare the Word gladly with Herod and doe many things yet because the seed of the word hath not taken deepe root in him it is possible for him with Demas to forsake the Gospel and embrace this present world with Himeneus and Philetus to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience with Julian to become an Apostata and a persecuter of the truth 4. The Prophet Ezekiel in this place speaketh not of Evangelicall righteousnesse but of legall for he saith not simply when a man turneth from righteousnesse but from his righteousnesse And vers 5. hee defineth a just man to be he That doth that which is lawfull and right and hath not eaten upon the mountaines nor defiled his neighbours wife c. Now whatsoever may be alledged for the stability of evangelicall righteousnesse and their permanency who are engraffed into the true Vine Christ Jesus daily experience sheweth that the most righteous on earth may and somtimes do remit of their strict observance of their duty that it is not only possible but very facile for them to let loose the reines to sensuall desires and to follow the gainefull or ambitious or voluptuous courses of the world at least for a time For the way to heaven is up-hill but the way to hell is down-hill and thither the weight of our sinfull flesh forcibly tendeth Facilis discensus averni A man may without any paine slip downe to the place of everlasting paines and torments Yea saith Seneca a Å¿ De mort Clau. Caes Omnia proclivia sunt facilè dâ—scenditur itâ—que quâ—mvis poda gricus momento temporis pervenit ad januam ditis gouty man may get thither in a trice Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras Hoc opus hic labor est But saith the Poet all the labour is to come backe from hell and get up out of the deep pit so hee But the truth is no labour can worke it no skill compasse it for from hell there is no redemption Wee know there is great strength required to bend a bow of steele which will unbend it selfe if the string breake or but slip Our motions to God-ward and proceedings in a sanctified course of life are like the rowing of a small boat against a strong wind and tide the blasts of the evill spirit and the propension of our corrupt nature much labour and sweat is required and very little is done with much adoe and if wee slâ—cke our hands and misse but one stroake we are carried downe with the streame and cast further backe than wee can fetch againe with many stroakes Did not Solomon turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and doe according to all the abominations of the wicked when he defiled his body and soule with spirituall and corporall fornication Did not David likewise when he spilt the bloud of Uriah that hee might more freely stay in the bed of Bathsheba I spare the rest because I would be loth with my breath to stain the golden and silver vessels of the Sanctuary and come à Thesi ad Hypothesin from the indefinite to the singular from the hearers at large to this present auditory Ye heare out of the Text how incommodious and dangerous a thing it is for a righteous man to degenerate and turne away from his righteousnesse it depriveth him of all the benefit of his former travells in the way to heaven it blasteth all the fruits of his labours without a second return to God dasheth all his hope of reward leaveth him in
ordinary Priests and Chemarims who were a peculiar order differing from the rest by their blacke habit so the Romish Clergie is evidently divided into ordinary Priests and Monks and Jesuites whose coat is of the same colour with Baals Chemarims 6. As the Priests of Baal used vaine repetitions of the name of their God in their prayers crying O Baal heare us Baal heare us c. so doe Papists in their Jesus and Ladies Psalters much more often repeat the name of Jesus and our Lady and which I never read of the Baalites they put a kind of religion in the number For yee shall reade in the Churches as yee passe by many hundred nay thousand yeeres of pardons liberally offered to all that devoutly say over so many Pater nosters or Ave Maries before such an Altar or Picture 7. As the Priests of Baal used many strange gestures at their Altars mentioned ver 26. so doe these at theirs and some more ridiculous than those of the Baalites 8. As the Priests of Baal cut themselves with knives and launcers till the bloud gushed out in great abundance so these at their solemne processions whip themselves till they are all bloudy These things being so is it possible that there should be any that have given their names to Christ and partake with us in the mysteries of salvation and seed at our Lords board should yet bow the knee to the Romish Baal and so fall within the stroake of Elijahs reproofe How long halt yee between two opinions Should wee not much wrong our reformed Church to surmise there should be any of her members subject to the infirmity or rather deformity of the Israelites here taxed by the Prophet Had they no meanes this sixty yeeres to strengthen the sinewes of their faith and cure their halting Are there any that follow Baalim or to speake more properly insist in the steps of Balaam and for the wages of unrighteousnesse will as much as in them lyeth curse those whom God hath blessed Are there any that lispe in the language of Canaan and speake plaine in the language of Ashdod frame and maintaine such opinions and tenets as like the ancient Tragedian Buskin which served indifferently for either foot left as well as right so these as passable in Rome as Geneva If there be any such I need not apply to them this reprehension of my Prophet How long halt yee between two opinions The dumbe beast and used to the yoke hath long agoe reproved the madnesse of such Prophets But I would that this larum of Elijah still rung in the eare of some of our great Statists About this time Doctor Carier who came over Chaplaine with the Lord Wotton preached a scandalous Sermon in Paris at Luxenburg house and not long after reconciled himselfe to the Romish Church and miscarrying first in his religion after in his hope of great preferments by the Cardinall Perons meanes in great discontent ended his wretched dayes who in the height of their policy over-reach their Religion and keep it so in awe that it shall not quatch against any of their projects for the raising their fortunes or put them to any trouble danger or inconvenience For as the Heliotropium turneth alwayes to the Sunne so they their opinions and practice in matter of Religion to the prevalent faction in State As the cunning Artizan in Macrobius about the time of the civill warre between Anthony and Augustus Caesar had two Crowes and with great labour and industry he taught one of them to say Salve Antoni Imperator God save Emperour Anthony and the other Salve Auguste Imperator All haile my Liege Augustus and thereby howsoever the world went he had a bird for the Conquerour so these if the reformed Religion prevaile their birds note is Ave Christe spes unica but if Popery be like to get the upper hand they have a bird then that can sing Ave Maria. Strange it is â—hat in the cleare light of the Gospel wee should see so many Batts flying which a man cannot tell what to make of whether birds or mice They are Zoophytes plant-animals like the wonderfull sheep in Muscovie Epicens amphibia animalia creatures that sometimes live in the water and sometimes on the land monsters bred of unlawfull conjunctions which should not see light If the image of this vice be so horrid and odious in nature what shall wee judge of the vice it selfe in religion I am sure God can better away with any sort of sinners than these for these he threatneth to spew out of his mouth To close up all My Beloved as yee tender the salvation of body and soule take heed of this Laodicean temper in religion if ye ever looke to be saved by your religion yee must save and preserve it entire and unmixed Take heed how ye familiarly converse with the Priests and Chemarims of Baal lest they draw you away from the living God to dumb dead Idols By no meanes bee brought to bow the knee to Baal or give any shew or countenance to idolatrous worship for God is a jealous God and will not give any part of his glory to graven Images Now the Lord who of his infinite mercy hath vouchsafed unto us the liberty of the Gospel and free preaching of his Word give a speciall blessing to that portion which hath been delivered to us at this present plant hee the true Religion in our hearts and daily water it both by hearing and reading his Word and meditating thereupon that it may bring forth plentifull fruit of righteousnesse in us all strengthen he the sinewes of our faith that we never halt between two opinions enflame he our zeale that we be never cold or lukewarme in the truth but in our understanding being rightly enformed and fully resolved of the orthodoxe faith we may in the whole course of our life be conformed to it reformed by it zealous for it and constant in it to death and so receive the crowne of life through Jesus Christ Cui cum Patre Spiritu sancto c. Amen Ambodexters Ambosinisters Or One God one true Religion THE LIX SERMON 1 KIN. 18.21 If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him Right Honourable c. NOt to suspect your memorie or wrong your patience by any needlesse repetition of what hath beene formerly observed out of the whole text joyntly or the parts severally considered the drift of the Prophet Elijah in this sprightly reproofe is to excite the King Nobles and Commons of Israel to resolution and zeale in the true and only worship of the true and only God and agreeably to this his maine scope and end hee bendeth all his strength and forces against those vices that bid battaile as it were to the former vertues These are two 1. Wavering unsettlednesse opposite to resolution 2. Timorous luke-warmnesse the sworne enemie to zeale To displace and utterly overthrow them and establish the contrarie
Hence it is compared to a goad m Eccles 12.11 or naile fastened by the masters of the assemblies nay to a n Heb. 4.12 two-edged sword piercing to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and joynts and marrow nay to thunder which breaketh the bones not hurting the yeelding flesh at the sound whereof o Luke 10.18 Satan fals like lightening from heaven This efficacie of the word of God proves the Divinitie thereof as it could not be divine but it must needs be effectuall so it could not be so effectuall as it is if it were not divine As the demolishing the wals of Jericho proved that there was something more in the sounding of the Rams hornes than the violent expulsion or percussion of the aire so the conquering all the eloquence and power and wealth and wisdome of the world and subduing it to the Gospel by the preaching of the Apostles poore simple and illiterate men of no more account in comparison of the Oratours and Philosophers of the heathen than the Rams hornes in comparison of silver trumpets demonstrateth that their words were not the words of men but the words of God p Zab. Phys Zabarel treating of nutrition in the stomacke and perfect concoction propoundeth this question How commeth it to passe that heat being but an accident and a simple qualitie can digest our meat sever the thicker parts from the thinner turne the chylus into chymus and chymus into bloud and disperse this bloud into all parts resolveth it thus that Heat may be considered two wayes either as it is a meere qualitie and accident and so it hath but one simple operation or as it is an instrument of the soule and so it produceth all the effects above mentioned In like manner if it be demanded how the word preached instructeth correcteth and comforteth and maketh the man of God q 2 Tim. 3.17 perfect and thorowly furnished to everie good worke how it frameth and mouldeth the heart how it printeth it like a stamp melteth it like fire bruizeth it like a hammer pricketh it like a naile and cutteth it asunder like a sword the ready answer is that it produceth these effects Non ut sonus sed ut instrumentum Dei not as it is a sound or a collision of the aire but as it is an instrument of God Or to use the phrase of the Apostle as it is the r Rom. 1.16 power of God unto salvation to everie one that beleeveth This power wee may easily beleeve to bee in the whole when wee see such efficacie in one text ſ Junius in vita Junius was reclaimed from Atheisme by casting his eye on the new Testament lying open in his study and reading the first words of S. Johns Gospel In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God These words which strucke such a reverence in the hearts of the heathenish Platonicks that they wrote them in golden letters in their Churches so amazed him with the strange majestie of the stile and profoundnesse of the mysteries therein contained that hee never after entertained the least thought of his former atheisticall conceit As Antony passing in his journey and comming to a Chappell heard the Priest read those words in the Gospel t Luke 18.22 If thou wilt be perfect goe sell all that thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven hee tooke the words as spoken to himselfe in particular and fulfilling the precept of Christ accordingly of a covetous worldling became a most holy recluse What should I speake of S. Austine who was strangely converted by hearing a voyce saying Tolle lege fastening his eies upon the first passage of Scripture he lighted upon which was this u Rom. 13.13 14. Let us walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying but put yee on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof No sooner was the verse read than the worke of his conversion was finished and a pious resolution for amendment of life setled in him * Aug. conf l. 8. c. 12. Surgens ab Alypio ut flerem de vicinâ domo audivi vocem Tolle lege tum cogitabam puerine solebant tale aliquid cantare nec occurrebat audivisse me Uspiam represso impetu lachrymarū surrexi interpretans me divinitùs doceri codicem aperire legere Itaque reversus ad locum ubi sedebat Alypius ibi enim posucram codicem aperui legi in caput quo conjecti sunt oculi mei Rom. 13. Non in comessationibus c. Rem Alypio indicavi petit videre quod legissem ostendit ultrà quà m ego legeram quod sequitur Infirmū in fide assumite quod ille ad se retulit Alypius certified hereof desireth to peruse the place and falleth upon the verse immediately following Him that is weake in the faith receive you Rom. 14.1 which he applying to himselfe besought S. Austine to strengthen him in the truth according to the command of Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 Tu conversus confirma fratres When thou art converted confirme thy brethren which taske he so well performed that with a little travell in a short space two twins were brought forth to Christ at one birth To fasten the truth of this observation concerning the efficacie of Scripture texts seasonably applyed I will borrow a golden naile from S. Chrysostome It is not so in the Church where the Word is powerfully taught as it was in the Arke of Noah for there the beast that entred into the Arke received no change nor alteration at all by the imbarking there during the deluge if they were cleane at their comming in they were so at their going out if they came in uncleane they went out uncleane if they came in wilde they went out wilde but it is not so here we come in uncleane but we goe out cleane we come in wild we goe out tame wee come in wolves wee goe out lambs we come in lions we goe out deere we come in vultures wee goe out doves we come in beasts we goe out men or to speake more properly regenerate Christians And thus much concerning compunction in reference to the cause as it is an effect of the word preached now let us consider it in a reference to the subject as it is an affection in the sinner The locusts are described by x Apoc. 9.7 10. S. John with faces like men but stings in their tailes like scorpions not to disparage any mysticall interpretation a morall may be this Sinnes especially of pleasure like these locusts have beautifull faces and a delightfull appearance at the first but those that deale and dally with them shall finde that they have stings in their tailes and leave pricks and venomous wounds in the conscience in the end for
there But Christ himselfe assureth us to the contrary not every one that saith Lord Lord z Mat. 7.21 shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Doing and life working and salvation running and obtaining winning and wearing overcomming and reigning in holy Scripture follow one the other Wherefore the young man puts the question to our Saviour What a Mark 10.17 thing shall I doe that I may attaine evelasting life and the people likewise and the Publicans and the Souldiers to b Luk 3.10.12.14 S. John and the keepers of the prison to c Act. 16.30 Saint Paul and the Jewes in my text to Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles What shall wee doe not What shall wee say or What shall wee beleeve but What shall wee doe This is the tenour of the Law Doe this and thou shalt live Whosoever doth these things shall never fall And the Gospel also carryeth the same tune full d Mat. 7.24 If ye know these things happie are yee of yee doe them Hee that heareth and doeth buildeth upon a rocke Not the hearers but the doers of the e James 1.22 Ezek. 1.8 Law shall bee justified Why are the Cherubims described with the hands of a man under their wings but to teach us that none shall see God who under the wings of faith and hope whereby they flâ—e to heaven have not the hand of charity to doe good workes As Darius used the Macedonian souldiers whom hee tooke prisoners so the divell doth those over whom hee hath any power hee cutts off their hands that they may be able to do no service The heathen Philosopher observed that of three of the best things in the world through the wickednesse of men three of the worst things proceeded and grew 1 Of vertue envie 2 Of truth hatred 3 Of familiarity contempt Wee Christians may adde a fourth viz. of the doctrine of free justification carnall liberty The catholike doctrine of justification by faith alone is the true Nectar of the soule so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it keepeth from death yet this sweetest Wine in the Spouses Flagons proves no better than Vinegar or rather poyson in their stomackes who turne grace into wantonnesse and liberty into licence fit Nectar acetum Et vaticam perfida vappa cadi But let no man adulterate the truth nor impose upon Christs mercy what it will not beare nor endeavour to sever faith from good workes lest hee sever his soule from life For though faith justifie our workes before God yet our workes justifie our faith before men though the just shall g Habac. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 live by his faith yet this his faith must live by h James 2.20 charity as never man any dyed with a living faith so never any man lived by a dead faith I grant when we have all done wee may nay wee must say i Luk. 17.10 Wee are unprofitable servants yet while we have time k Gal. 6.10 we must doe good unto all especially to those of the houshold of faith None may trust in their owne righteousnesse but on the contrary all ought to pray that they may be found in Christ l Phil. 3.9 not having their owne righteousnesse yet their righteousnesse must exceed the m Mat. 5.20 righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees or else they shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven It is evident unto all except they be blinde that the eye alone seeth in the body yet the eye which seeth is not alone in the body without the other senses the forefinger alone pointeth yet that finger is not alone on the hand the hammer alone striketh the bell yet the hammer which striketh is not alone in the clocke the heate alone in the fire burneth and not the light yet that heate is not alone without light the helme alone guideth the ship and not the tackling yet the helme is not alone nor without the tackling in a compound electuarie Rubarb alone purgeth choler yet the Rubarb is not alone there without other ingredients Thus wee are to conceive that though faith alone doth justifie yet that faith which justifieth is not alone but joyned with charity and good workes Many please themselves with a resemblance of Castor and Pollux two lights appearing on shippes sometimes severally sometimes joyntly If either appeareth by it selfe it presageth a storme if both together a suddaine calme yet with their good leave be it spoken this their simile is dissimile For those lights may be severed actually are often but justifying faith cannot be severed from charity nor charity from it Thus farre onely it holdeth that unlesse we have a sense and feeling of both in our soules we may well feare a storme S. Bernards distinction of via regni and causa regnandi cleareth the truth in this point Though good workes are not the cause why God crowneth us yet we must take them in our way to heaven or else we shall never come there It is as impious to deny the necessity as to maintaine the merit of good workes sed Cynthius aurem Vellit The time calleth mee off and therefore that it may not exclude mee I will conclude with it In this holy time of Lent three duties are required Prayer Fasting and Almes prayer is the bird of Paradise fasting and almes are her two wings the lighter is fasting but the stronger is almes use both to carry your prayers to heaven that you may bring from thence a blessing upon you through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ Cui c. THE LAST OFFER OF PEACE A Sermon preached at a publike Fast THE LXX SERMON LUK 19.41 42. 41. And when he was come neere he beheld the City and wept over it 42. Saying If thou hadst knowne even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes WHen the Romans fought a pitched field after the rankes of their prime Leaders and chiefe Souldiers which they called Principes had charged valiantly if the enemy still kept his ground the Triarii containing the whole shock of the army put on and upon their prowesse and valour depended the fortune of the day and chance if I may so speake of the bloudy die of war Whereupon it grew to be a proverb a Eras chil Res rediit ad Triarios it now stands upon the Triarii as if you would say it is now put to the last plunge And is it not so now my Christian brethren We have taken to us the proper weapons of Christians fasting prayers and teares to fight against the fearfull combinations of powerfull vigilant enemies The rank of our Principes the King himself the Princes Nobles and Peeres have already watered this field with their teares and put on with all their force of zealous praiers how far they have prevailed