is but as another mans Person But Slanders and Contempts done to him as a Minister that is with reference either to his Calling or Doctrine are much greater then to another man as reaching vnto God himselfe whose Person the Minister representeth in his Calling and whose errand the Minister deliuereth in his Doctrine For Contempts Saint Paul is expresse elsewhere e 1. Thes. 4. 8 He that despiseth despiseth not Man but God And as for Slanders the very choyce of the word in my Text inferreth as much The dignitie of our Calling enhaunceth the sinne and euery Slander against our regular Doctrines is more then a bare Calumnie if no more at least petty f Wee haue heard him speake blasphemous words against Moses and against God Act. 6. 11. Blasphemie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As wee are slandered as wee are blasphemed That from the word Obserue thirdly § 7. OBSERV III. The best truths are subiect to Slander the wrong done to the Apostle and to his Doctrine Hee was slanderously reported to haue taught that which hee neuer so much as thought and his Doctrine had many scandalous imputations fastened vpon it whereof neither hee nor it were guilty As wee are slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say The best Truths are subiect to mis-interpretation and there is not thaâ— Doctrine how firmely so euer grounded how wariâ—â— so euer deliuered whereon Calumny wil not fasten and stick slanderous imputations Neither a Math. 11. 17 18 19. Iohns mourning nor Christs piping can passe the pikes but the one hath a Diuell the other is a glutton and a wine-bibber Though b Math. 5. 17. Christ come to fulfill the Law yet there bee will accuse him as a destroyer of the Law Math. 5. And though hee decide the question plainely for Caesar and that in the case of Tribute Math. 22. c Math. 22. 21. Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars yet there be that charge him as if he d Ioh 19. 12. spake against Caesar Ioh. 19. and that in the very case of Tribute as if hee e Luk. 23. â— forbade to giue Tribute vnto Caesar Luke 23. Now if they f Mat. 10. 25 called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his houshold If Christs did not thinke wee the doctrine of his Ministers and his Seruants could escape the stroke of mens tongues and bee free from calumny and cauill How the Apostles were slandered as Seducers and Sectaries and vaine babblers and Heretiques and broachers of new and false and pestilent doctrines their Epistles and the booke of their Acts witnesse abundantly to vs. And for succeeding times reade but the Apologies of Athenagoras and Tertullian and others and it will amaze you to see what blasphemous and seditious and odious and horrible impieties where fathered vpon the ancient Christian Doctors and vpon their profession But our owne experience goeth beyond all The Doctors of our Church teach truely and agreeably to vnanswerable euidences of Scripture The g Act. 17. â—8 Esay 26. 12. effectuall concurrence of Gods will and power with subordinate Agents in euery and therefore euen in sinfull actions Gods h Rom. 9. 11. 15 18 c. free election of those whom he purposeth to saue of his owne grace without any motiues in or from themselues The immutabilitie of Gods i Ioh 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. 5. 9. 10. 8. 35 38 39. Loue and Grace towards the Saints and their certaine perseuerance therein vnto Saluation The k Rom. 3. 28. Iustification of sinners by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ apprehended and applyed vnto them by a liuely faith without the workes of the Law These are sound and true and comfortable and profitable and necessary doctrines And yet that impudent Strumpet of Rome hath the forehead I will not say to slander my Text alloweth more to blaspheme God and his Truth and the Ministers thereof for teaching them Bellarmine Gretser Maldonate the Iesuites but none more then our own English Fugitiues Bristow Stapleton Parsons Kellison and all the rabble of those Romish hell-hounds freely spend their mouthes in barking against vs as if wee made God the author of sinne as if wee would haue men sinne and be damned by a Stoicall fatall necessitieâ— sinne whether they will or no and be damned whether they deserue it or no as if we opened a gappe to all licenciousnesse and prophanenesse let men beleeue it is no matter how they liue heauen is their owne cock-sure as if we cryed downe good workes and condemned charity Slanders loud and false yet easily blowne away with one single word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These imputations vpon vs and our doctrine are vniust but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them that thus mis-report vs know that without repentance their damnation will be iust It would be time not ill spent § 8. With the Causes to discouer the grounds of this obseruation and to presse the vses of it something fully But because my ayme lyeth another way I can but point at them and passe If seldome Truth scape vnslandered maruell not the reasons are euident On Gods part on Mans part on the Diuels part God suffereth Man rayseth the Diuel furthereth these slanders against the Truth To begin ordine retrogrado and to take them backwards First on the Diuels part a kinde of Contrariety and Antipathie betwixt him and it He being the a Ioh. 8. 44. Father of lies and b Eph. 6. 12. Prince of darknesse cannot away with the Truth and with the Light and therefore casteth vp slanders as Fogs and Mists against the Truth to belie it and against the Light to darken it Secondly on mans part And that partly in the Vnderstanding when the iudgement either of it selfe weake or else weakened through precipitancie preiudice or otherwise is deceiued with fallacies in stead of substance and mistaketh seeming inferences for necessary and naturall deductions Partly in the Will when men of corrupt minds set themselues purposely against the knowne truth and out of malicious wilfulnesse against the strong testimonie of their owne hearts slander it that so they may disgrace it and them that professe it Partly in the Affections when men ouercome by carnall affections are content to cheate their owne soules by giuing such constructions to Gods Truth as will for requital giue largest allowance to their practices and so rather chuse to crooken the Rule to their owne bent then to leuell themselues and their affections and liues according to the Rule Thirdly on Gods part who suffereth his owne Truth to bee slandered and mistaken Partly in his Iustice as a fearefull Iudgement c 2. Thess. 2 10 11 12. vpon wicked ones whereby their hard hearts become yet more hardened and their most iust condemnation yet more iust Partly in his Goodnesse as a powerfull fierie triall of true Doctors whose constancie and sinceritie is
of Faith or practice of Life as not onely many nice Schoole-points and Conclusions are but also many Genealogies and Leuiticall rites and other things euen in the Scriptures themselues Nay more a Minister not only in discretion may but is euen in Conscience bound at least in the publike exercise of his Ministery to conceale some particular truths from his Auditory yea though they be such as are needful for the practice of life and for the settling of mens consciences if they be such withall as are not fit to bee publikely spoken of as are many Resolutions of Cases appertaining to the seuenth Commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery and some also appertaining to the eighth Thou shalt not steale Our men a Moulin Buckler of Faith part 2. sect 4. and not onely ours but some of their owne too See Espenceus ad Tit. cap. 1. iustly condemne the Popish Casuists for their too much liberty in this kind in their Writings Whereby they reduce vices into an Art vnder colour of reprouing them and conuey into the mindes of b In quibus plus proficit vitiorum ignoratio quà m cognitio virtutis Iustin. lib. 2. Hist. cap. 2. corrupt men Notions of such prodigious filthinesse and artificiall Leger-du-maine as perhaps otherwise they would neuer haue dreamed on or thirsted after The loose writings of the vnchaste Poets are but c Quis veteruÌ„ Poetarum plâ—s obscoâ—nitatis impuritatis flagitiorum professus 〈◊〉 quà m docâ—t Poenitentiale Burchardi Quot sint qui ignorarent multa quae ibi leguntur nisi ex ipso didiciscent I. R. in confut fab Burdon pag. 305. dull tutors of Lust compared with the authorized Tomes of our seuere Romish Votaries There be enourmous sinnes of this ranke which a modest man would be ashamed so much as to name especially in publike Now of these onely the generalities would bee touched in the publike the specialties not vnfolded but in the priuate exercise of our Ministery nor yet that promiscuously to euery one that should out of curiositie desire satisfaction in them but onely to such men and that but onely so farre as they may concerne in point of Conscience and of practice Besides these there are other Cases many in which it may be more conuenient to conceale then to teach some diuine truthes at some times and in some places But yet as the Case is here proposed §. 33. and in what he may not if it bee a truth questioned about which Gods people are much distracted in their opinions much mistaken by some through error in iudgement much abused by sinfull especially publike practice occasioning Scandals and offences among brethren likely to be ouerwhelmed with custome or multitude of those that thinke or doe against it and bee otherwise of materiall importance I take it the Omission of it vpon seasonable opportunitie is a grieuous sinne and not colourable by any pretence Beloued the Minister is not to come into the Pulpit as a Fencer vpon the stage to play his prize and to make a faire a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 9. 26. flourish against sinne Here he could haue it and there hee could haue it but hath it no where but rather as a Captaine into the Field to bend his forces especially against the strongest troupes of the enemy and to squander and breake thorow the thickest rankes and to driue at the b Fight neither with small nor great saue onely with the King of Israel 3. King 22. 31. fairest It is not enough for a Prophet to c Esay 581. cry aloud and to lift vp his voyce like a trumpet and to tell Iudah and Israel of sinnes and of transgressions at large but if he would whet them vp to the battell he must giue a more d If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell 1. Cor. 14. 8. certaine sound he must tell Iudah of her sinnes and Israel of her transgressions If there be in Damascus or Moab or Ammon or Tyrus or Iudah or Israel e Amos 1. 2. three transgressions or foure more eminent then the rest it is fit they that are sent to Damascus and Moab and Ammon and Tyrus and Iudah and Israel should make them heare of those three or foure more then all the rest Sinnes and Errors when they begin to get head and heart must be handled roughly Silence in such a case is a kind of flattery and it is f Penè idem est fidem nalle assâ—rere negaâ—e Fulgent lib. 1. ad Thrasim cap. 1. Sicut incauta locutio in errorem perâ—raâ—it ita indiscretum silentium in errore relâ—nquit Greg. in Moral almost all one when sinnes grow outragious to hold our peace at them and to cry Peace Peace vnto them Our Apostle in Act. 20. would not haue held himselfe sufficiently discharged from the guilt of other mens blood if he had shunned as occasion was offered to haue declared vnto them g Act. 20. 26 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the whole counsell of God In my Application of this Instance and Case § 34. A more particular Application in defence of 〈◊〉 former Sermon blame me not if I do it with some reference to my selfe Being heretofore by appointment as now againe I was to prouide my selfe for this place against such a meeting as this is as in my conscience I then thought it needfull for me I deliuered my mind and I dare say the Truth too for substance something freely touching the Ceremonies and Constitutions of our Church And I haue now also with like freedome shewed the vnlawfulnesse of the late disorderly attempts in this towne and that from the ground of my present Text. I was then blamed for that I thinke vniustly for I do not yet see what I should retract of that I then deliuered and it is not vnlikely I shall be blamed againe for this vnlesse I preuent it You haue heard now already both heretofore that to iudge any mans heart and at this time that to slander any truth are without repentance sinnes iustly damnable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that offend either in the one or the other their damnation is iust To preserue therefore both you from the Sinne and my selfe from the Blame consider I pray you with Reason and Charity what I shall say You that are our hearers know not with what hearts we speake vnto you that is onely knowne to our owne hearts and to a 1. Ioh. 3. 20. God who is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things That which you are to looke at and to regard is with what b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 11. Non requiritur quis vel qualis praedicet sed quid praedicet Distinct. 19. Secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Charmide truth we speake vnto you So long as what we preach is true and agreeable to Gods Word and right reason you
the more d 1. Cor. 11. 19 approued with him and the more eminent with men if they e Ioh. 10. 12. flie not when the Wolfe commeth but keepe their standing and stoutly maintaine Gods truth when it is deepliest slandered and hotliest opposed And partly in his Wisedome as a rich occasion for those whom hee hath gifted for it f 2. Tim. 1. 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to awaken their zeale to quicken vp their industrie to muster vp their abilities to scowre vp their spirituall armour which else through dis-vse might gather rust for the defence and for the rescue of that g 1. Tim. 6. 20 2. Tim. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that precious truth whereof they are depositaries and wherwith he hath entrusted them These are the Grounds §. 9. and Corollaries thereof The Vses for instruction briefly are to teach and admonish euery one of vs that we be not either first so wickedly malicious as without apparant cause to rayse any slander or secondly so foolishly credulous as without seuere examination to beleeue any slander or thirdly so basely timorous as to flinch from any part of Gods truth for any slander But I must not insist This from the slander Obserue fourthly §. 10. OBSER IV. Euery slander how peremptorie the Apostle is in his censure against the slanderers or abusers of holy truths Whose damnation is iust a Ambrosius Lyra Piscator c. Some vnderstand it with reference to the Slanderers As we be slanderously reported and as some affirme that wee say Whose damnation is iust that is their damnation is iust who thus vniustly slander vs. b Chrysostomus Caietanus Erasmus c. Others vnderstand it with reference to that vngodly resolution Let vs doe euill that good may come whose damnation is iust that is their damnation is iust for the euill they doe who aduenture to doe any euil vnder whatsoeuer pretence of good to come of it Both expositions are good and I rather embrace both then preferre either I euer held it a kind of honest spirituall thrift where there are two sences giuen of one place both agreeable to the Analogie of Faith and Manners both so indifferently appliable to the words and scope of the place as that it is hard to say which was rather intended though there was but one intended yet to make vse of both And so will we Take the first way and the slanderer may reade his doome in it Here is his wages and his portion and the meed and reward of his slander Damnation And it is a iust reward He condemneth Gods truth vniustly God condemneth him iustly for it Whose damnation is iust If we be countable and wee are countable at the day of Iudgement for c Math. 12. 36. euery idle word we speake though neither in it selfe false nor yet hurtfull and preiudiciall vnto others what lesse then damnation can they expect that with much falshood for the thing it selfe and infinite preiudice in respect of others blaspheme God and his holy Truth But if it be done of purpose § 11. Whether malicious and in malice to despight the Truth and the Professors thereof I scarce know whether there be a greater sinne or no. Maliciously to oppose the knowne Truth is by most Diuines accounted a principall branch of that great vnpardonable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost by some the very sinne it selfe I dare not say it is so nor yet that it is vnpardonable or hath finall impenitencie necessarily attending it I would be loth to interclude the hope of Repentance from any sinner or to confine Gods Mercy within any bounds Yet thus much I thinke I may safely say it commeth shrewdly neere the sinne against the holy Ghost and is a faire or rather a foule step towards it and leaueth very very little hope of pardon That great sin against the holy Ghost the Holy Ghost it selfe in the Scriptures chuseth rather then by any other to expresse by this name of a Math. 12. 31. 32. Blasphemie Mat. 12. And wheras our Apost 1. Tim. 1. saith That though he were a Blasphemer yet b 1. Tim. 1. 13. he obtained Mercy because he did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe he leaueth it questionable but withall suspicious whether there may bee any hope of Mercy for such as blaspheme maliciously and against knowledge If any mans be certainly such a mans damnation is most iust But not all Slanders of Gods truth are of that deepe die § 12. or not is damnable not all Slanderers sinners in that high degree God forbid they should There are respects which must qualifie and lessen the sinne But yet allow it any in the least degree and with the most fauourable circumstances still the Apostles sentence standeth good Without repentance their damnation is iust Admit the Truth be darke and difficult and so easily to be mistaken admit withall the man be weake and ignorant and so apt to mistake his vnderstanding being neither distinct through incapacitie to apprehend and sort things aright nor ye constant to it selfe through vnsettlednesse and leuitie of iudgement Certainly his misprision of the Truth is so much a Inuoluntarium mintut de ratione peccati lesser then the others wilfull Calumnie as it proceedeth lesse from the irregularitie of the Will to the Iudgement And of such a man there is good hope that both in time he may see his errour and repent expresly and particularly for it and that in the meane time he doth repent for it implicitè and inclusiuely in his generall contrition for and confession of the massie lumpe of his hidden and b Psalm 19. secret and vnknowne sinnes This Charity bindeth vs both to hope for the future and to thinke for the present and Saint Pauls example and wordes in the c 1. Tim. 1. 13. place but now alledged are very comfortable to this purpose But yet full thus much is certaine He that through ignorance or for want of apprehension or iudgement or by reason of whatsoeuer other defect or motiue bringeth a slander vpon any diuine Truth though neuer so perplexed with difficulties or open to cauill vnlesse he repent for it either in the particular and that he must do if euer God open his eyes and let him see his fault or at leastwise in the generall it is still a damnable sinne in him His damnation is iust We haue the very case almost in terminis layd downe and thus resolued in 2. Pet. 3. d 2. Pet. 3. 18. In which are some things hard to be vnderstood obserue the condition of the things hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable obserue also the condition of the persons vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures to their owne destruction Where we haue the matter of great difficulty hard to bee vnderstood the persons of small sufficiencie vnlearned and vnstable and yet if