DIVISION DIVIDED OR Ruines fore-runner DISCOVERED and DECYPHERED In a Sermon before the Right Honourable and the Right Worshipfull the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London Preached on the Lords-day September 20. 1646. in Pauls Church London By one that wisheth well unto and daily prayeth for Unity and Uniformity in these three Kingdomes Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speake one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you but bee yee knit together in one minde and in one judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 Infaelix populus Dei non potest in bono tantam habere concordiam quantam mali habent in malo Hier. in Ps Neque enim Civitas in seditione potest esse beata nec in discordia dominorum domus quâ— minus animus a seipso dissidens secumque discordans gustare partem ullam liquidae voluptatis liberae poâ—est Atque pugnantibus contrariis studiis consiliisque semper utens nihil quiete videre nihil tranquille potest Cicero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed for Andrew Crooke at the Green Dragon in Pauls-church-yard 1646. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE A True patterne of the old and good Way of Pietie and Charity and a cordiall Patron of Truth in these unsteady and giddy Times THOMAS ADAMS NOW Lord Major of this famous City of London all blest establishments in all the wayes to Grace and Glory My Lord YOu have made that saying true which heretofore was spoken Amicus Plato and Amicus Socrates but amicissima Veritas I love Plato wel and Socrates too but Truth better than either of them yea than both of them The hearts of Gods people blesse you and God for you and we hope your zeale for Truth against every opposite Error shall still provoke many Confes lib. 12. Veritatem celare est aurum sepelire To conceale Truth is as to bury gold saith Austin And Bernard convincingly Si propter timorem mortis tacere Veritatem impietas est quomodo non est major impietas propter miserum ventrem honoris vani spem tacere Veritatem Videtur meliorem facere gratiam panis honoris Bernard quam gloriam Veritatis If for the feare of death to conceale a Truth be sin and wickednesse ô what a sin is it for the bellies-sake or some such sinister end to dissemble it Truth in 1 Petition 2 Presence 3 Possession My Lord Inquisitio Veritatis est ejus petitio scientia Veritatis est ejus praesentia sed creditio Veritatis est ejus possessio Truth when sought after is excellent when found and knowne it is yet more lovely but when beleeved and practised too it becomes ours in possession Faith what And indeed what is Faith but I beleeve that is I understand and conceive of it for a truth I assent unto it in my Judgement to bee a truth I consent unto it in my will as good and build mine eternall comfort on it as good for mee this act of beliefe carries the whole soule with it It is pleasant to stand upon the shore and see the Ships tossed in the troubled Ocean to stand upon a Castle safe and see a pitch'd Battaile fought in the variety and successe thereof to stand upon a rock and see so it bee with pity and without pride the Errors wandrings mists clouds and stormes which are below in the valley of this world Your Lordship hath like a stable Christian stood fast in God and in the power of his might while you have seen many too many tossed to and fro with the wind of every Doctrine Doubtlesse every godly Movet mens pia in charitate quiescit in providentia non vertit denique nisi super polâ—s veritatis truly godly mind moves in charity rests in providence and doth not turne but upon the poles of Truth while the portion of wicked men will bee that they deceive and are deceived Mixtures of falshood Simile I may fitly resemble them to that allay which is in gold silver or pewter it may indeed make the met all worke somewhat the better but it abasâ—th it much even so our notionall mixtures may indeed in preaching presse c. make things take the better among giddy heads but they abase Divinity and render men delighting therein too full of levity and emptinesse Gods attire if hee did dwell among men It was wont to bee said of our Learned Criticks That if God himself were to dwell in humane shape amongst men hee would take light for his body and truth for his soul This City hath been exceedingly honoured in sending out Champions to fight for Truth abroad wherein with what gallantry and successe our Londoners have behaved themselves Chronicles will not conceale in after times and there are yet private Anniversaries of thankefull remembrances for Newbery The 20 of September that day this Sermon was Preached c. And it will bee no little Fame to this City also to have it recorded that in the time of such a one and such a one severall Lord Majors of London successively Heresies Schismes Sectaries were suppressed or at least not so countenanced as that the tares overgrew the wheate in Gods Field Salvian Dum mali esse volunt Veritatem esse nolunt qua mali condemnantur but let Truth prevaile and let it be glorious Of all pieces of our Spirituall armour Truth is resembled unto a girdle Ephes 6. for indeed Truth should incompasse us about Truth fourefold And a fourfold Truth scil of judgment heart speech action is required of every Christian My Lord the Lord of Lords take a double portion of the Spirit of Paul and put it on you and on all them that shall succeed you that you may withstand them to the face which goe not with a right foot unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Non bene vivitur Holy life what and how ubi non bene de Deo creditur Aug. A holy life is indeed nothing else but the infusion of holy truths The Spirit opening generall truths to a Christian hath another worke also and that is to reveale our particular interest in those truths and to breed speciall faith whereby wee may make them our owne that so where sacred truths are truly apprehended there may be an impression in the soule suitable to the things believed The Lord make our believing of God Almighty to bread an impression of dependence reverence c. Some dispute of Faith some preach it some sweare by it but few live thereby the belief and knowledge of Christ crucified to bee a crucifying knowledge of Christ rising a raising knowledge of Christ abased an abasing knowledge to our soules and so of all truths else whatsoever The good Prince George Anhalt who in Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospel intending to comfort his brother Prince John raiseth strong consolations for
for our sinne and one of our evils to be the reward of another it was these peoples case see ver 30.31 they fall into a scattering where Christ gathereth and from thence the next steppe is into the sinne against the holy Ghost a blasphemy not to be forgiven Some Councells 1. See thou take heede of exalting thy wicked selfe so did the Scribes and Pharisees and above them Iesus Christ must not bee though God the Father give never so cleare evidence of him Yee that set your selves in your wayes above the way God hath owned heed this 2. Love not cavilling scornes nor jeering scoffs they are unbecomming Iesus Christ is but a fellow with these fellows vers 24. I do not know what sinne a proud spirit is not fit to fall into Vse 7 7. The seventh and last use Danger gives us in a word or two of the danger in case all this be not disgested touched by our Lord in all those expressions shall be desolate shall not stand an house will fall upon an house and the like these doubtlesse are all added to this purpose that we might be more cautelous for if ruine desolation and such things will not ingage us to take heed of divisions nothing at all will 1. 1. desolation Desolation will come will come shall I say Nay rather let me say and I shall say true Desolation is come it is at hand already But when he saw the multitude saith St. Matthew hee was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Then saith hee unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plentious but the labourers are few Pray yee therefore the Lord of the harvest who to by pittied that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Matth 9.9.36 37. 38. The field of God is untilled and desolate the gardens indeed of the Congregationall the Church way these are dressed trimmed and fine these are weeded rowled digged dunged what not not any thing amisse But the poore people in the Field on these no pitty of God no pitty of Man falls Ninevehs 6000000. makes me remember them which knew not the right hand from the left I am confident there are not in any place in the kingdome of England so rude heathenish and ignorant a people as are to be found in the suburbs of London and the adjacent places thereabouts no greater people nor living more inconsiderable Now he that looks here may see desolation I would have these fields tilled and some of that feed which here falls in the high way and in the stony places cast there abroad who knowes but that it may there some of it fructify by the blessing of God and bring forth fruit in abundance 2 Instability will be in Religion 2. Inst bility nay I pray to God that instability be not for Religion some such tenets I heare and see already Some men glory in having so dark and doubtfull a behaviour that no man can tell what to make of them the more scepticall a man is now the more religious hee 's thought to be to walk as a staggerer neuter and unresolved one as if a mans Religion were still to choose is this becomming them whom God bids to be perswaded in their own minde Rom. 14.5 Nay such men as these do affect to have and indeed bear the bell away for the wisest men in the Countrey because they will utter themselves no further than if need bee they may keep their retreat fair and have the wind on their backs If such a one as I might speak without offence I would here insert two words of warning the first to my self and such inferiour ones as I am wherein I would desire to observe 1 Vnder what Banner Gods holy warre best prospereth Preaching I mean namely neither under strength nor might nor wisdom Ruâ—es for preaching but his own spirit Zach. 5.7 let us take heed therfore of pleasing our selves too much in our own inventions 2 They that draw their people on to the carnall admiring of their parts and persons teach them a lesson which lames cries out against the having of the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ with respect of persons I am 3. Let not be forsaken the maine truths of God and the channell of wholesom doctrin to run into some od muddy creek of our invention for feare wee loose our peace with seeking to get the peoples praise 4. I would wee might all be as little carnall in preaching Iesus Christ as may bee and as much spirituall as possible might bee the evidence and demonstration of the spirit that is it 5. I would our subjects might be often changed and if we see wee have preached Mercy up till Duty bee quite done then change the subject and presse originall sinne preach Selfe-denyall Mortification the New creature taking up the Crosse Preparation for death c. The second unto the people of this City 1. The end of preaching is Common edifying nothing else And for Hearing Know it and lay it for a ground every thing is best used when to the end which God appointed it 2. Take heed of partiallity and the balking of any mans ministery that is faithfull God is able to fit a truth to thee which yet was not studied for thee 3. Do not catch at new points forsaking old grounds it is the common fault of London hearers they have better braines then either hearts or lives 4. Eye the Minister in not thy relation to him nor in thy knowledge of him nor according to the infirmities that are in him but as the dispencer of the mystery of Christ that will best prepare thy spirit God being intreated that thou mayest be like one of Peters hearers willing to hear whatsoever is commanded 3. An house will fall upon an house that is the third danger and it is a danger if our Lord hath so set it downe to bee Houses are but of four sorts as the Private house the Politique house the Ecclesiasticall house and the house of Clay the Corporall house and all these are in continuall danger of falling one upon another if divisions cease not For we read 1. 4. Houses A difference that fell among the Private houses and Families concerning the spies Numb 13.31.32 Some said one thing concerning the land some another 2. A difference that arose betwixt them concerning the Altar Josh 22. There some said one thing some another but the cause of feare being good a good God gave a good effect unto it 3. A difference about the Sacrament grew the poore were dispised by the rich and one separated from another 1 Cor. 11. but were at length reconciled by a good God whose instrument was a carefull Ministery then setled among them preaching against what they then practised Self-divisions Now what discouragements were then used against divisions Our preaching the same will be now used to quell the last of these
yea Londoners for feare you make God and good men weary of you 2. Let me speake another word to you 't is but a word or two Magistratui cives Magistratus legibus till the people obey their Governours and till they obey the Lawes no good will be done Boni domo malus civis Every good man is not presently a good Citizen you say Keepe thy Shop and it will keepe thee I say Keepe your Lawes and they 'le keepe you The two great Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministery have been the envie of wicked men in all Ages of the world Austin saies There were three great sinnes Idolatry Exod. 32. punished with the Sword the burning of the Roll Jerem. 36.23 punished with Captivity but Division Numb 16. in Corah Dathan and Abiram punished with the Earths dividing and swallowing them up 3. Our House-Dissention what O what not Father against the Sonne Sonne against the Father Husband against Wife House Dissensions Wife against Husband and indeed a mans enemies are those of his owne Houshold The Canonists have one rule Omne malum à sacerdotibus no evill that comes not from the Priests and Luther hath another very blunt but very true Nunquam periclitater religio infiniter reverendissimus Religion never comes into greater danger than among the right Reverend Preaching advised devised whether the Priest be most or the people most in fault he cannot tell one thing I know that what the Apostle saith is true There are that creepe into houses and lead Captive silly women laden with divers lusts ever learning and never learned I thinke things will never goe well till we of the Ministry be by Ordinance as from God so from man injoyned to preach all our errours without partiality Truth-ward all our Heresies whatsoever Hell-ward all our own sheepe if we have any to Repentance Obedience Duty-ward and all other mens sheepe either stolne or stragled to their owne Fold-ward againe so shall we pray for ours as the Christians heretofore for their government The fourth Use will informe us Use 4. Christ mistaken That here is to be seene Jesus Christ in a mistake indeed where is he not so to be seene I meet him so almost in every place in not a few Pulpits great mistakes and fundamentall never more Hay Stubble and Straw built upon the foundation than now this must be amended also He said to the purpose That Optima Respublica quae maxime legis minimè rhetores audit If it be the best Common-wealth that obeyes rather than disputes I think it will be found also the best Church that doth so It will be a good warning to let the people know that there may be much mistaking about truth therefore observe 1. The Lord Jesus cannot be divided a truth to which the Apostle sets to his testimony 1 Cor. 1.12 why then if they shall say unto me Behold he is in the Desart I 'le not goe forth behold he is in the secret Chambers I will not beleeve it Matth. 24.26 I will even resolve to seeke him where I have found him and that is even walking in such publike Ordinances as these in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.13 No greater deceit can be obtruded upon a man then to set him to seeke there for a thing where we know it is not or where indeed he is not though we did not know the same Jugling about Antichrist just as about Christ How is the Jew deceived in his Messia How the Turk in his Mahomet but even so The type of Antichrist is in Daniel himselfe in John now the Papists seeke for himselfe in Daniel where his type is and in John where himselfe is they are afraid to seeke him for feare to finde him Counsells I would not have us to deale so in seeking for Jesus Christ in the publike ordinances He hath bin found of those that sought him to their comfort and to their conversion To send a people to looke him where he is not for feare they should finde him were a sad sinne to be guilty of I did never thinke nor yet doe that he is rather to be found in the private than in the publike meetings nor that he is at all to be found in many of those places which the people are made to beleeve are better than Church-meetings 2. The Divell and Sin cast out both one way There are not two waies of casting out Beelzebub What doth Satan cast out Satan Doth the Independant cast him out one way and the Presbyterian another way Indeed all our work in the Ministery is nothing but to cast out Divells for every sin is a divell and every Minister is or ought to be a man indeavouring iâ— the strength of Jesus Christ to cast out these Divels out of himseâ—â—â— others all the people of God It is a work that hath been done heretofore and the dispossessed have given thankes therefore to God So then as our Lord asketh one question so I 'le aske another he asketh By whom did your children cast him out As our fathers served Christ so must we in this particular and I aske By whom did our Fathers cast him out Paul excellently Fâ—â— though you have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have you not so many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell Are they now then become your enemies because they did you good Take heed you doe not cast off your Preachers their old precepts and your old practisings till at length you grow from something to nothing those whom God hath honoured with the conversion of many are scarce honoured now with the company of any of any I say no body almost to heare them None of those who must acknowledge even them to be the instruments of Gods mercy to them 3. The worke the very businesse of Jesus Christ is the destroying of the workes of the Divell so saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 8.8 Heare yee then and be not proud for surely God hath spoken this thing our Ministery and our Government while they are acting so to destroy the workes of the Divell they act with Christ and they act for Christ and Christ will doubtlesse whatsoever foolish men say act with them and act for them Let us therefore give up our selves to this service let us make this our businesse God hath made it so and resolve to say with Bernard Nitius me privares amaro mors vitae meae usu quam fructu it were better to lose life it selfe than the purpose to which God intended it There are two great Workes of the Divell to be acted against in our sinnes 1. Decrease of duty must be acted against Our publike concerning Duties our Fasts faile Ale-houses and Tavernes about London take more money on those daies then they doe till such daies come againe almost some of them have bragged so Cui bonites sive Deâ— ui Deus siâ—â—
him from the last three Articles of the Creed Remission of sinnes resurrection of the body Comfort in trouble what and how and life everlasting There is one Article before these three and that is the Communion of Saints which we beleeve too but finde as little influence from in these our dayes as from any truth that ever our Lord Christ left us and reason I know none thereof but that there is so much of that knowledge which puffeth up and so little of that love that edifieth Hee that strives for Error strives for Satan against God A holy strise he that strives for victory strives for himself against other men but hee that strives for truth against errour helps the Lord against Gods enemy and his too namely Satan the Father of lies And this specially Bonum benè God loves Adverbes better than Adjectives if withall hee handle Gods cause according unto God A man shews most knowledge and understanding in the matter of truth but most grace in the manner of handling of it with reverence holinesse and modesty Your Lordship hath so behaved your self in your Yeare that I doubt not but it will turne to your accompt before God and amongst us your Name shall be as an Oyntment poured forth Jesus Christ blesse you more and more with sin's decreases and graces increases that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing So prayeth Your Lordships that loves you for loving Truth Walter Bridges TO THE FOVRE ESQVIRES FOR THE Service of this Honourable CITY William Gunthrop Sword-bearer John Clutton Common-Hunt Henry Hodges Common-Cryer Edward Peerse Water-bayliffe Grace and Peace with light and truth in the Lord Jesus Christ YOur last Lord and Master Gentlemen O many such more may you serve in that place and you are not such men as some are there is a rule among the Romanists and it is this Wee are bound to the obedience of the Pope when hee ordaines a Holy Day but wee are not bound to doe against our consciences How shall this now bee reconciled For the Pope may happily command that which I cannot in conscience doe The Roman Doctors reconcile it easily and it is thus Make the word and will of the Pope the rule of your obedience and then it is enough O slavery of all slaveries for any poore soule to lye under Your Lord and you love inlargements not to take any thing upon trust which doth concern your souls for eternity but to bee perswaded in your owne mindes and to have your senses exercised to discerne good and evil your Lord and you together made it your requests that this poore word of exhortation might passe from the Pulpit to the Presse it hath done so now through the good hand of God and here you have it if it helpe you in any thing one good turne deserves another do you helpe him with your prayers who is Your loving Friend and Servant in such workes as these WALTER BRIDGES DIVISION DIVIDED OR RVINES FORE-RVNNER Discovered and Disciphered The TEXT Every Kingdome divided against it self shall be brought to desolation and every City or house divided against it self shall not stand Mat. 12.25 THis is such a piece of Gods truth as being spoken by Christ himselfe ought much to be regarded the occasion thereof very easily gathered out of the Context and as to that or to the Text with reference to the Context I shall have nothing to say I shall looke on the Text with reference to our times rather and labour to hold forth therehence unto this Honorable and grave Assembly such truth as is Land Church and Common-wealth concerning Calvin's note is excellent and too true Right Honourable and wel-beloved Est kic Divini verbi quasi quidam genius ut nunquam emergat quieto et dormiente Satana Cal. Praes ad Reg. Gall. that though while men slept the envious man tooke his time to sow tares yet men never can take a time to wake and watch to preach truth while Satan is asleep Origen once being to preach on that place of the Psalmist Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth c. seeing thou hatest to be reformed wept over the Text in stead of Preaching upon it It is Pareus his observation upon that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speake the same thing and that there bee no divisions among you but that yee bee perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement Pareus I say marks that the Apostle being to cure division◠Huic morbo exulceratissimo primum malagmata quaedam adhibet Par. ad loc to this disease saith hee Paul first applyes Playsters and Poultesses to ripen it and draw it to maturation before hee cut or make incision our disunions disjoyntings disaffections and dissensions are very great very unreasonable very unseasonable tongue-disagreement and pen-disagreement I yet hope God will keep us from discord for that sounds harsh and is not till hearts bee broken asunder from which God deliver us I would not have that said of Christians which had wont to bee said of Chronologers Chronologi non magis congruunt quam Horologia Victorin Strigel Proleg in Chron. Melancth the Chronologers agree like clocks scarce two of one minde throughout It would bee our advancement in the eyes of God and good men to advance unity and one-mindednesse lest it bee said of us and truly too that Demades the Oratour said of the Athenians in Plutarch that they never sate upon Treaties of Peace but in black and mourning garments when they had paid before too deare for their divisions Vis unita fortior hath hitherto gone for a good Proverbe and indeed if wee have a fancy of crossing such Proverbes it may prove to our ruine God because he is Ens simplicissimum a most simple and undivided being is therefore Ens fortissimum inexpugnabile a most strong and impregnable being and surely if wee hold together amongst our selves it will bee more hard to harme us what is the destruction of a man but the division of the body and the soule as long as they two hold together the man is not destroyed so is it also and will bee found to bee amongst us Besides that glorious light shining forth of Gods Word whereunto they doe well that take heed as to a light shining in a darke place such as that Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren marke them which cause division 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 1 Cor. 3.3 For yee are yet carnall for whereas there are among you envyings and strife and divisions are yee not carnall and walk as men Besides these such as these Scriptures the very light of nature and men guided by no better Principles will rise up in judgement against men that call themselves Christians and yet love divisions Aristotle in
which was not brought into disgrace what vertue was unperswaded that a man may safely say of some of them that they left unto posterity more clearnesse and Prints of Divinity than all the books of the Schoolemen put together So as I remember said Bucer also of Seneca 2. Bucer's saying of Seneca They had their proverbs and voyces of men publickly against them as that against the Cretians was a proverb Tit. 1.12 The Cretians are alwayes liars slow-bellies and evill beasts and this in my Text a proverbiall sentence also 3. They had the works of God by which he intended to leave men without excuse Rom. 1.20 As raine and fruitefull seasons Act. 14.17 Nay they had yet more the naturall knowledge whereby they knew the Law Rom. 1.32 and the naturall conscience whereby they did by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 All this I observe to let you see how zealous God is to keep afoot this work to teach us that it ought not to be lost our Lord in his time used it and convincing preaching will be found to be the lively Ordinance when all is done 2. Sometimes he will have men to doe this work Mans worke when God will have him do it and then hee conveyes into them his power and bears a presence with them thus he was with the Apostles Peter in a great conversion and conviction Paul and others also Apollos was a man instructed in the way of the Lord and he mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ Act. 18.25 28. Such ingredients as these goe to the making up of this spirituall medicine as to convince by answering to silence by answering Job 32.12 to convince by reproving 2 Tim. 3.16 to convince by preaching Tit. 1.9 to convince by chiding rebuke them sharpely Tit. 1.13 to convince by correcting with all authority Tit. 2.15 to convince every way to convince any way that is lawfull and by the word warranted I read of Cicero that pleading for Ligurius Mine Authour sayes the bills fell out of Caesar's hand the bills of his accusation as it were forced by the eloquence of the pleader a great power there is in conviction Naturall and Spiritual thunder Wee learn from all this that hath been said that men are exceeding hard to be brought to any thing of God they must be convinced the naturall thunder is the voice of God so is the spirituall too that is exceeding subtle so is this it divideth between the marrow and the bones the naturall thunder breaks a peeces what resists it onely so doth the other it is like fire and the hammer that breaketh the stony rock asunder 3. Some men there are whom of all others Who ought soonest to be unvailed I would have conviction to finde out namely the subtill cunning crafty ones such to be silenced is a great victory a very great conquest When the Word of God the truth of Christ comes off like Stephen Act. 6.9 10. The Libertines and Syrenians and Alexandrians and those of Cilicia and Asia were disputing with Stephen but they were not able to resist the Spirit and the wisdome by which he spake O then the word of God and those which handle it come off like David from Goliah with the head of the champion in his hand The Herodians Court-flatterers a sycophanticall generation see how convincingly our Saviour deales with them Matth. 22.21 22. Render to Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods and they marvelled We have a like instance Joh. 8.7 He that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone at her and they that heard it being convicted went out one by one The Gospel is alwayes the power of God unto great things but never more visibly so then when we can say with the Apostle Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer oâ— this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 As David prayed so I would we should doe in a time of distresse that the Ahitophels of our time may be infatuated 4. Meanes for conviction How may a man best convince enemies such as our Lord here had I answer even as our Lord did surely that will be found to be the very best way His direction is the onely infallible one therein we may abide therefore observe 1. Our Lord shews his courage in both Preaching and practise notwithstanding in the presence of his professed adversaries He taketh all opportunities to do good by his Doctrine and Miracles and hereby convinceth them it shameth them amongst us who at such a time can bend their tongues like bows for lies but are not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 2. Our Lord speaketh home to the consciences of his adversaries makes them witnesse of the truth he speaks against them so did Samuel 1 Sam. 12.5 and so did Joshuah also Josh 34.22 so ought we to doe and it serves to chide them who jangle about words to no purpose the least truth laid home to the conscience would doe more good 3. Our Lord vindicates and defends the truth against oppugners the truth of the Resurrection against the Sadduces and convinceth them Matth. 22. of tribute paying to Caesar against the Herodians and convinceth them He that bids us be ready to render a reason shews himself ready on all occasions so to doe It reproves them that are Nicodemites and Neuters in these sad times of which sort we have not a few 4. Our Lord retorts upon his enemies their owne arguments fights with them with their own weapons he casts out devils as their children doe this is that convinceth if the Master-builders of Israel would observe it may be there were arguments enough to be found in our adversaries to overthrow both them and their cause so some have done Popery 5. When convinced and no more And one word more I have to say to all ye that are the blaspheming Cavileers of this generation of you I know there is not a few If once yee be convinced and no more behold the glasse of these men in which I intreat you look your faces the glasse I say which Iesus Christ hath opened you to look in 1 You will fall into extremity of sin More sin If you bee convinced and no more if you have the flashes falling upon your eyes and no more if you taste of the powers of the life to come and no more if you weepe for sinne once and laugh and to it againe you will fall into extreames of sinfull courses your later end will be worse then your beginning you 'le beginne in the Spirit and end in the flesh wofull and everlastingly so will bee the condition of such a man doubtlesse 2. You will fall into extremity of judgement More judgement into extremity of judgement I say when God makes sinne our punishment