disturbs not that which preserves the quiet of the house the peace of the soul that which does extinguish not that which does inflame our charity that which is a servile not that which is a filial fear To fear because we have sinned against God as an avenging Iudge this servile fear love quiet casts out of doors but not to sin because we fear offending God as a gracious Father this filial fear it is so far from being cast out that it is loves dearest inmate the one mutually sustaining the other so that we may well pray as the Church hath well taught us Collect second Sund af Trin. Lord make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name § 7. However then the external profession of the truly religious may be imitated by that artificial sanctity of the formal hypocrite yet who is' t that can draw out the lineaments of life sense and motion Who can counterfeit the internal forms and active principles of grace secrets not visible to the eye but sensible to the soul from whence we draw an infallible argument of Gods blessing to say with David The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant § 8. The second Medium the manifestations of his love He will shew them his Covenant 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man knoweth not the things of the Spirit of God and no wonder for he is blind at least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.9 as St. Peter speaks non procul videns one sand-blind that cannot see a far off the good things of Gods Covenant and grace they are deep and in their depth have too much of misterious darkness they are high and in their height have too much of glorious brightness for the purblind eye of the earthly soul and carnal man to search and apprehend And O the refreshings of divine love to the truely penitent when God by his word discovers their sin then by his spirit he withal manifests his grace he shews them his Covenant even life and salvation by Jesus Christ And by this we may know whether the discovery of sin be a temptation or an humiliation whether it be from Satan to tempt to despair or from God to humble in repentance § 9. The spirit of grace and truth laies open sin in the soul as a careful Chyrurgeon doth a wound in the body in a warm room among tender friends and with suppleing remedies his end not being to torture but to heal not to make soar but to make whole but now the spirit of error and wickedness laies open sin as the mischeivous murderer does the wound in the open air and the soul drawn away from Christ and his promises on purpose to torment and kill not to cure and save The promises priviledges and blessings then of Gods Covenant they are not known in their saving truth but by the humble soul even by those who fear the Lord for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Sept. to them the Lord will declare and make known his Covenant even his Covenant of Crace in which are concentred all the promises of the Gospel and this Covenant he will shew to them that fear him especially in that which is the firm foundation of their comforts as to the immutability of his love and the stability of his promise § 10. First The immutability of his love the grace and love of God as the Agent is not founded upon any motives or reasons in man as the object as if merit or worth in man did either beget or continue favor and love in God Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.10 Ephes 2.5 Rom. 3.24 no he justifies us when ungodly he reconciles us when enemies he quickens us when dead and therefore must it be that we are freely justified and so eternally saved by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ Now if when enemies by wicked works Col. 1.21 we were reconciled by the death of Christ if when dead in sins we were were quickened by the Spirit of grace how much more being quickened being reconciled shall our infirmities be pardoned our falls repaired our persons accepted and our services rewarded If when we were enemies Gods grace did prevent us to make us his children how much more being Gods children shall the same grace preserve us from becoming his enemies § 11. The love of God in his Covenant of grace Jer. 31.3 it is an everlasting love which everlasting love sure cannot end in an eternal hate So that though we are unworthy yet does he continue gracious though we deserve his wrath yet will he bestow his love his love unchangeable like himself for God is love and as Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed § 12. 2. The stability of his promise In Jer. 32.40 God tells us he will make an everlasting Covenant with his people And how is â—t everlasting why says God I will not turn away from them to do them good But though God be immutable in his grace unchangeable in his love and so constant in his promise yet what if his people through humane frailty fall from him and so make void the Covenant of the Almighty To this God himself gives answer v. 40. for the comfort of all the faithful I will put my fear into their hearts saith the Lord that they shall not depart from me Thus does God give the promise and strengthens man to the condition of his Covenant so that they who are begotten to a lively hope by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation And thus our holiness depends upon Gods promise not Gods promise upon our holiness Deus facit ut nos faciamus quae praecepit nos non facimus ut ille faciat quae promisit so S. Aug. God makes us to do what he hath commanded we do not make God to do what he hath promised But as remission of sins is from his grace even his gracious favor accepting so is the obedience of faith from his grace too even the grace of his Spirit sanctifying § 13. So that all our comfort of soul and peace of conscience is firmly fixt upon this sure Basis this firm foundation the immutability of Gods love and the stability of his promise For so Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel and in that his love he confirm'd it by an oath And wherefore Was it to make his obligation more firm No but to make our consolation more full For so v. 18. it was that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation Gods covenant is not made the more firm or sure by oath then by promise for that his truth as his nature it is without variableness or shadow of turning
of fears but the Light of the Spirit brings comfort of soul in a discovery of Gods love in Christ which discovery being permanent our comforts shall not be transient Whereas cursory views and passing glances of divine objects leave the heart unsatisfied being more troubled for their absence then pleased with their sweetness It is the rising then of the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4 2. which gives day to the inward man and his continued beams bring the soul its renewed joys Wherefore then let the deserted soul present its self in all its languishings and thus bespeak God and Christ in this blessed Sacrament O my God! my soul seeks what it has lost oh let it find what it seeks even comfortable communion with thee in the Lord Jesus For this for this it is that I here call and cry Turn thee unto me § 17. 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me Such are the wounds of an afflicted soul as no balm can cure but that of a compassionating mercy Misericordia â—eliaâ—uata mercy which melts to supple and to heal Though then the deserted soul hath the same promises the same Mediator the same God which it had before its desertion yet it does not find comfort till it have the same mercy And therefore does St. Paul happily joyn the Father of mercies and the God of all consolations 2 Cor. 1.3 For that indeed God were not the God of consolation were he not the Father of mercies all remission of sins all power of grace all manifestations of love yea the earnest of glory are all the of-spring of mercy brought forth of her womb brought up in her lap yea nourished with the milk of her breasts and cherished with the warmth of her bosom § 18. Who art thou now that languishest in desertions Know the door of mercy is not shut because thou shouldst not enter but because thou shouldst knock if thou wouldst obtain mercy then it must be by prayer and that through Faith in the promise Faith I say in the promise for how know we Gods good will but by his holy Word So that the truth of his promise presents us the sweetness of his mercy and seeing the fathers mercies melts at the Sons mediation Heb. 2.17 Bern. de grad hum go unto God by Christ by Christ as a merciful and faithful High Priest a merciful High Priest compassiâ— cum impossibilitate perdurat though Christ be now gloriously impâ—ssible yet is he still graciously compassionate yea he is one that proportions his pitty to our misery Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his compassion to our affliction such compassion as is a Soveraign balm to cure the secret anguish of a deserted soul applied here by David when he cries unto God in prayer Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are inlarged c. § 19. 3 To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance O bring thou me out of my distresses Now the soul begins to recover her former taste of heavenly sweetness now she begins to feel the warmth of those sweet imbraces from the everlasting arms of her dearest Jesus And therefore does she pursue this begun recovery to a full deliverance even a deliverance from all her distresses of doubts and fears and terros which deliverance from those distresses is by the sacred testimony of Christs spirit evidencing the sincerity and truth of grace and thereby a personal interest in the promises of life and love Joh. 14.26 § 20. To make it appear how the Spirit is the Comforter and by his testimony to the soul free 's it from its distress observe this gradation 1. The Gospel proposeth salvation through Christ in the free promise and now press this grape examine this truth and the wine of comfort is no more but this that salvation may be mine if I beleeve But then 2. A further progress is made by faith in casting the soul upon Christ for salvation according to this promise and in this the foundation of comfort is laid firm the root is fixt yet the fruit is not grown this is sufficient to life and salvation in the end but is not effectual yet to peace and consolation in the way wherefore to all this that salvation through Christ is offered in the promise and that the promise of Christ for salvation is received through faith to all this must be added this testimony of the Spirit that that faith is sincere and so that salvation sure And this testimony it is that confirms the souls peace and gives inlargement to its sweetest comforts § 21. Thus Faith in the habit it is medium incognitum say the Schools it is often hid in the soul and the quickenings of the Spirit it is which bring it into act And by the actings of faith come the renewings of comfort thorow communion with Christ When the Sun of righteousness then appears with healing in his wings Mal. 4 2. the clouds of fears are scattered the storms of terrors cease the night of unbelief doth vanish yea Psal 24.8 when Christ the King of glory sets up his Throne in the heart and rules with the golden Scepter of his grace then do proud lusts stoop then do the powers of darkness fly and so the deserted and afflicted soul is brought out of all its distresses Thus have we seen the case and the cure of a deserted soul the case rightly stated and the cure fitly applied the case rightly stated I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of mine heart are inlarged the cure fitly applied Turn thee unto me have mercy upon me O bring thou me out of my distresses § 22. Who art thou now that looks upon what is said of spiritual desertion as strange doctrine Let me tell thee thou hast had little acquaintance with God if thou knowest not yet what it is to lose him to lose him in the comforts of his Spirit thou hast room I question not for profit for pleasure for sin for Satan but no room for God for Christ and so not having injoyed the comforts of the divine presence thou knowest not the discomfort of his absence O what is it that we see daily some men lose their Estates and they grieve heavily some men lose their Friends and they go mournfully some men lose their Health and live sadly But how many lose their God their Saviour their soules and yet neither grieve nor mourn nor are heavy for it Oh ye who are guilty of this self and soul-murder did the day break upon your souls 2 Pet. 1.19 the Spirit of truth enlighten and awaken your consciences Oh how would amazement seize you and the terrors of death fall upon you § 23. But who is it that having Sions sorrow in his heart and her tears in his eyes comes unto me with her complaint in his mouth Oh my God hath forsaken
either to confirm your faith or give some reasons why you desert it yea you will have the advantage happily of gaining him who seeks to pervert you 5. An itching curiosity and affectation of novelties This is that which hath made so many Seekers that they are become a Sect. Seek and ye shall finde saith our Saviour Seek is the precept Matth 7.7 ye shall finde is the promise But no wonder if men finde what is not intended in the promise when they seek what is not commanded in the precept let Humility seek and it findes Truth but let Curiosity seek and it finds Heresie let Prayer seek in a devotion of Piety and it finds Grace and Peace but let Passion seek in an affectation of Novelty and it findes wrath and a curse To be setled in mind is a right means to be established in truth and to be wise unto Sobriety Rom. 12.3 is a temper for all those who will be sincere in the Faith But he who still is affected with novelties no wonder if he be soon infected with Heresies they that have the itch of curious disputings no wonder if they get the Scab of Heretical opinions 6. Covetous desires and ambitious designs All Heresie and Schism we finde still cherished with the warm zeal of a full purse Had not the Church of Rome those strong attractives of Cardinal Dignities Papal Indulgences Ecclesiastical Immunities and Spiritual Benefices I believe she would finde few Patrons of her cause and gain few Proselytes to her profession The Foxes would not trouble the Vineyard were it not for the Grapes neither would Heresie and Schism so much rend and tear the Church were it not for her Revenues That poorer Fry and meaner Sect of Quakers would not as they do 2 Tim. 3 6. Creep into houses and boast themselves in so poor a Triumph as a leading captive silly women were it not as some mens ruined estates can tell them That there-out they suck no small advantage And I refer it to the Consciences of most Ministers whether the sequestred Living was not the strongest Argument to convince their Judgments to a deserting as well as a dissenting from what they had subscribed yea I refer it to the Conscience of every Sacrilegious Invader of the Churches possessions whether this be not the great weight which keeps down his wishes of the Churches restoring even the thoughts of vomiting up the morsels he hath so greedily swallowed giving up the possessions he hath so covetously seized When covetous and ambitious mindes see profit and preferment soonest obtained by Faction what Schism what Heresie yea what Perjury will they not allow embrace and follow Primianus and Maximianus heads of two Donatist factions St. Augustine tells them That were it not for Faction Primianus would be Postremianus and Maximianus Minimianus The like we may say of the greatest Patriarchs of Heresies and Schisms That were it not for Faction kept up by covetousness and ambition they would soon become as low in esteem as in merit as mean in degree as in desert To close then from the Premisses we may infer That Heresie is the cursed Issue of most cursed Parents The father that begets it is the Devil and the mother that conceives it is the Flesh And as Domitius used to say Nil nasci potuit nisi detestabile infausium Suet. That of him and Agrippina nothing could be begotten but what was ominous and odious hateful and monstrous and such was Nero. The like may be said as to this cursed Brood That of the Devil and the Flesh nothing can be begotten but what is horrid and hainous Carnal and Diabolical and such is Heresie Joh. 8 44. Satan he is the Father of lies and therefore as Ignatius saith Ignat. ep 1. ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretical opinions they must needs be Satans off-spring the Devils inventions And as Heresies are from Satan as the Father of lies so begot of the Flesh as the mother of corruption Gal. 5.20 and therefore the works of the flesh are manifest saith the Apostle amongst which are reckoned up with adultery and murders Seditions and Heresies Some carnal affection either of pride and pertinacy of spirit or of impurity and prophaneness of life or of envy and malice or of slothfulness and indifferency or of affectation and curiosity or of covetousness and ambition some one or more of these carnal affections it is that gives birth to Heresie and is as the Womb to bear so the Paps to nurse this ugly and deformed Brat the perfect likeness of its father the Devil And thus we have done with our proposed task To shew you by what means Satan draw's men to the sin and involves them in the guilt of Heresies Now give me leave to close with a few words of Application Applic. Be we sincere in our obedience as a cheif means of being sound in the Faith and be we sound in the Faith otherwise it will be in vain to plead the sincerity of our obedience For this is our Calling to walk worthy of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all well pleasing Col. 1.10 Of which general notion the Greek Scholiast gives us this equal distribution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in words in works and in opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 5. in 1 Tim. or Doctrines of Faith And therefore with St. Chrysostome True Faith is compared unto a sound Ship without which we cannot pass the Sea of this troublesome World to the safe Harbor of Heavens rest For suppose we a man Chaste Temperate Hospitable Just in his Dealings Zealous in his Devotions for such was Pelagius such was Donatus yea such were many of the Arrians of the Macedonians even to an high repute amongst the Orthodox themselves as St. Basil and Nazianzen both will witness Suppose we then I say a man to be Chaste Temperate Hospitable Just in his Dealings Zealous in his Devotions but withal that he is an Heretick and then hear what St. Augustine will tell us August tom 7. de Bapt. l. 4. c. 18. Nulli utique dubium est propter hoc solum quod Haereticus est regnum Dei non possessurum There is no doubt at all but for this alone That he is an Heretick he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And this of St. Augustine does well accord with that of St. Paul 2 Thes 2.13 14. Where he gives us to understand That if we hope to obtain Salvation and glory by Jesus Christ it must be through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth And O thou blessed Spirit of Grace so sanctifie us through the Truth that we be not led away into the errors of the wicked but amidst the many Heresie which are amongst us let it be manifest that we are approved Amen THE SECOND SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are
of wickedness and under the most signal judgments of thy displeasure men plead signal testimonies of thine acceptance even in what thy soul hates thy Word condemns and thy wrath pursues § 4. Whilst I see Covenants and Engagements entred with a seeming zeal but broken with open perjurie whilst I see Sacriledge possess yea demolish thy Temples and yet Hypocrisie pretend a propagating thy Gospel whilst I see injustice in the seat of Judgment Profaneness invade Devotion and Violence suppress what is sacred and religious sure these waies of the world are none other then the waies of deceit and lead into the chambers of death But thy waies Prov. 6 27. O Lord are waies of truth and lead in the paths of life wherefore shew me thy waies and teach me thy paths Psal 16.11 § 5. Do thou shew me and do thou teach me While others take upon them to shew me thy waies they teach me to throw off the sacred Order thou hast establishe in thy Church as wicked and antichristian they teach me to desert thy publick Worship as Popery and Superstition yea they teach me Heresie and pretend it is thy Word they teach me Blasphemie and pretend it is saving Doctrine they teach me Schism and pretend it is the Communion of Saints they teach me to prophane thine Ordinances Joh. 4 24. and pretend it is to worship thee in Spirit Wherefore do thou thou Lord shew me do thou teach me as shew me thy waies in thy Word so teach me thy paths by thy Spirit yea lead me in thy truth and teach me make me to learn by practising let the experiences thou givest me of thy sanctifying grace confirm my soul in the sincere profession of thy saving truth § 6. But O my Jesus behold me here another poor Bartimaeus so blind that to shew me thy waies thou must not only point them out but also give me eyes to see Yea I here present my self at thy Table as another impotent Cripple in the Temple Act 3 2â— so that to lead â—e in thy truth thou must not onely go before me but give me feet also to run after thee And that thou my Jesus who art the same yesterday today and for ever wilt now by a miraculous power of thy grace and truth Heb. 13 8. even cure my spiritual lameness and ignorant blindness this is the ground of my hopes thy Promises this is my encouragementâ— thy Sacrament in which Sacrament and Promises thou art exhibited unto my soul as the God of my salvation In thy word thou hast given the promise and in thy Sacrament that promise is sealed that thou wilt save me from the pathes of death and lead me in the way of everlasting life and so faithful art thou who hast promised that safer it is for my soul to be as low as Hell with a promise Heb. 10.23 then to be as high as Heaven without it though as low as hell yet would hope bear me up and though as high as heaven yet would presumption throw me down Jer. 17.5 1 King 13.4 § 7. Thou O God who art my trust art my salvation my trust is not in the arm of flesh that like Jeroboams hand doth suddenly wither my trust is not in humane power or policie that I see by daily experiments Jon. 4 7. proves like Jonas Gourd when the Sun beats hottest when trouble and disâ—â—ess is the the greatest then doth it vanish and come to nothing what then is my trust Truly Lord my trust is even in thee Psa 146.5 6. who hast made heaven and earth whose Wisdom will find out the way and Power effect the means of my salvation notwithstanding all the present difficulties and seeming impossibilities of deliverance § 8. Yea thou O Lord my joy my Jesus thou art the God of my salvation Oh transcendent love Oh rich mercy Oh incomprehensible goodness the God of my salvation Blessed Saviour had the efficacie of thy merits extended no further to the race of mankind then mine own self yet wouldst thou glory and make me rejoyce in being the God of my salvation And Oh firm salvation which is founded upon the Grace Wisdom Power and Faithfulness of my God! in all which attributes my God my Jesus communicates himself unto me in this his Ordinance sealing me the salvation of my God and giving me a communion with the God of my salvation in this holy Sacrament § 9. O how willingly could my soul dwel upon this Mount and build Tabernacles for this contemplation of my Saviours love how do I behold him through faith communicating himself unto me in all his fulness Which fulness is in his Church and in his chosen as the soul is in the body and in the members whole in the whole and whole in every part So that though he gives salvation unto all yet does he communicate himself unto my soul in that fulness of his merits and grace as if I were saved alone And Oh that my soul could imitate my Savior Oh that my heart might return like love in giving my self my whole self unto my Jesus even in that fervor of affection and ravishment of spirit as if I alone were wholly to possess him joying in him and enjoyed by h m as the one and onely God of my salvation § 10. Seeing then thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day so that If I find not present comfort in thy blessed Sacrament yet on thee will I wait the husbandman doth not sow his seed and reap his crop in a day wherefore if thou art pleased to defer thy salvation for the trial of my faith and love yet on thee will I wait in a constant use of those sacred means thou hast ordained and the continued practise of those holy duties thou hast enjoyned and though this be all my daies Oh let not my faith faint seeing I cannot wait too long for the grace I so much desire and which am assured I shall at last obtain Matth â—24 23. seeing he who indures to the end shall be saved § 11. On thee do I wait on thee whose hand of bountie whose bo om of love yea whose bowels of mercy are not onely opened but inlarged to all humble penitents on thee do I wait wait to hear the secret voice of thy Spirit speaking peace unto my conscience wait to feel the reviving vâ—gor of thy grace quickning mine obedience wait to see the subduing power of thy holy Spirit quelling my rebellious sin wait to feel the chearing vertue of thy heavenly comforts refreshing my fainting soul for all these thy blessings O thou God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day All the day being never so satisfied with thy goodness as not more eagerly to long after thy heavenly fuâ—ness wherefore now refresh my faintings quench not my desires but the more freely thou gives let me the more eagerly covet the more
access of languishing souls to his Throne of Grace yea this blessed Sacrament is the very Mercy-seat of our God where Jesus Christ is exhibited to the Father as the propitiation and atonement for the faithful Rom. 3.3 § 12. Where then there is faith and repentance it is not our failing that shall make Gods truth to fail not our defects which shall make his promises of none effect no though justice exact justice doth require a perfection of our obedience yet mercy indulgent mercy will vouchsafe acceptance through Christ through Christ in whom mercy and truth are met together Psal 85 10. on purpose that righteousness and peace may kiss each other even in him our blessed Mediator in him do meet all the paths of God in which he brings salvation to his Church and those paths are now become beaten roads right viae Regiae the King of Heavens high-waies in which we have our passage from sin and death to righteousness and life from guilt and misery to holiness and glory and these paths of our God what are they but his Mercy and Truth in Christ Jesus § 13. But O my soul that the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth it is to them that keep his Covenant and his testimonies seeing then thou hast broken his Covenant and transgrest his Testimonies how canst thou expect the acceptance of mercy and the blessings of truth True I have sinned and through my sin mine obedience is become imperfect but what is not the Covenant of my God a Covenant of Grace Jam. 2.13 where mercy rejoyceth yea triumpheth against judgment yea is not the Covenant of my God that Covenant made with Abraham confirmed by Christ and sealed by this holy Sacrament a part of which Covenant is the remission of sins if so then shall faith and repentance be accepted through Christ and all my imperfections made up with the righteousness of his most perfect obedience § 14. Indeed were our obedience perfect what need should we have of Christ to justifie and save us though Truth and Justice then may blame and condemn our failings in the keeping of Gods testimonies yet grace and mercy go before to vail all with the robe of Christs righteousness to a pardoning our infirmities Psal 89.14 an accepting our persons and a rewarding our services though we cannot then keep the Covenant and Testimonies of our God in an Angelical purity yet may we do it in an Evangelical sinceritie though not in a full perfection yet in a sincere endeavor of holy obedience Phil. 3.12 13 14 and blessed is that soul which shall witness the saving comfort of this sacred doctrine that all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep even thus keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Vers 11. For thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquitie for it is great § 1. THe very best of Gods Saints do not so perfectly keep the Covenant and Testimonies of their God but that in thoughts of his Covenant they may well have a sense of their sin in the meditation of his Testimonies they may well have an apprehension of their transgressions and this is that which put David here upon this emphatical ejaculation of fervent prayer For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great § 2. Thou Lord not only art good and gracious but thou wilt also be so acknowledged so declared yea as such worshipped and adored that thy name then be not dishonored let me though a sinner be accepted pardon mine iniquity that it be not said thou ever rejectedst a poor penitent and thereby lose the glory of thy name whose name is merciful A merciful clemency is a royal vertue Exod. 34.5 6. and honorable in every Soveraign Majesty thou then O Lord Psal 24 5 8. who art the King of Glory make this thy holy Sacrament to be the broad Seal to my pardon and this for thy names sake even for thy mercy sake by which thou art as well known as any man can be by his own name § 3. I plead not Lord my merits who am less then the least of thy mercies and as I look not upon my merit so nor do thou look upon my demerit as I do not view my worthiness so nor do thou view my unworthiness but thou who art called the God of mercy be unto me what thou art called make good the glory of thine own name in being merciful unto my sin of which I cannot say as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one no it is great Gen 19.20 for that it is against thee so great a God and so good to me Great for that my place my office my calling is great the Sun the higher it is the less it seems but my sins the higher I am the greater they are even in thine and others eyes § 4. Great for that my knowledge of thee and thy waies is great I knew thy will and yet did it not my conscience check'd me and yet I obeyed not thy Spirit moved me and yet I yeelded not Mine iniquity is great for that I have greatly multiplied and increased it so that it is become great in quality and in quantity great in weight and in number very heinous very numerous yea the number of my sins is numberless those I know and confess are few in comparison of what are unknown and hidden from me Psal 19.12 § 5. Yet further mine iniquity is great for that mine apprehension of it is so great that I know more ill by my self then by any other each man best feels his own burden and the burden of my sins is such as is too heavy for me to bear Lastly mine iniquity is great for that it is such a debt as I am no way able in the least part to make satisfaction And even a little debt is great to him who hath nothing to pay Wherefore O Lord hide not thy great mercy from me who hide not my great sins from thee and the greater is the guilt of my sin the greater shall be the glory of thy mercy to pardon it let it be the glory of thy mercy then to pass by mine offences so shall the greatness of my sins make the glory of thy mercies more conspicuous for that where sin hath abounded there grace doth much more abound Rom. 5.20 § 6. And thus though I went against mine own knowledge in sinning yet do not thou Lord go against thine own nature in punishing who hast promised if we beleeve and repent thou wilt forgive and now 1 Cor. 10.12 as my sins teach them that stand to take heed least they fall so let thy pardon of my sins teach them that are faln upon their repentance not to doubt of thy mercy and forgiveness which mercy and forgiveness do thou seal unto my soul and to each humble penitent through Jesus Christ in a return of peace unto our consciences by
from this holy Table this blessed Sacrament yet feareth to come unprepared to it That man shall be as blessed in his coming as he is rare to find Blessed shall he be 1. in the sacred knowledg of Christs will Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose 2. Blessed shall he be in the quiet peace of a good conscience his soul shall dwell at ease 3. Blessed he shall be in the present comfort of an hopeful progenie his seed shall inherit the earth § 8. 1. Blessed in the knowledg of Christs will him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose He that feareth the Lord let him in this Sacrament commit his way unto the Lord Psal 37.5 as for the blessings of his Providence so for the instruction of his Spirit and the guidance of his hand that so the way which he shall walk may not be so much of his own as of Gods choice and not so much of his election as of Gods approbation So shall the Lord teach him in the way not only direct him to find it in the knowledg of his Word but also enable him to walk in it in a conformity to his will sanctifying him throughout the understanding to discern the will to embrace the affections to pursue the whole man to act what is holy and just and good § 9. And thus we know then which is the right way amidst the many now Cross-paths of Heresie and Schism we know which is the right way of truth and holiness not that which we devise but which God doth choose for it is God alone who must prescribe the rule by which we are to square our lives the form by which we are to order his Worship And therefore the Church from the beginning hath still worshipp'd God according to Divine revelation not humane discretion acknowledging as one true God so one true manner of Worship of which God himself is the Author the Author in his Word his Word of truth the glass of his Divinity from which Word declared in his holy Gospel and by his Spirit conveyed in the blessed Sacrament he that feareth the Lord shall be taught in the way that he shall choose to the making him blessed in the saving knowledg of his sacred will § 10. 2. Blessed in the quiet peace of a good conscience His soul shall dwell at ease His soul happily he may with S. Paul Gal. 6.17 bear in his body the marks of the Lord Iesus in his sufferings for his name his person imprisoned his estate seised his name defamed yet his soul enjoys its peace its ease its rest And when the World shall curse and condemn O the blessed peace of that mans soul whose conscience in the name of God shall acquit and absolve Sweet peace the peculiar blessing of the truly sanctified yea the special benefit of this blessed Sacrament which as it seals the Covenant of grace so of peace in a perfect reconciliation with God by Christ § 11. In this peace of conscience sure we are to find ease of soul yea pernoctabit anima the soul shall dwell or lodge all night in rest all the night of the Churches distress the dark and doleful night of heresies and schisms of oppression and violence the soul that is at peace with God being instructed in his truth and sanctified with his grace shall have its light in darkness its easeful rest of spiritual comforts amidst the tumultuous changes of temporal troubles Yea pernoctabit in bono when with others either their designs of mischief or their horror of guilt shall keep them waking the holy innocence of him that feareth the Lord shall have its bed of rest § 12. And it is not worldly calamity that shall so dismay his soul as to fright him from the profession of a true faith no the holy fear of God shall destroy all such sinful fears of men even as Moses's Serpent devoured all those Serpents of the Magicians efficit timor Dei ut caetera non possint timeri the fear of God hath this good effect that it makes other things not to be feared so that the soul of him who feareth the Lord doth dwell as in rest so in goodness as in peace so in patience till this moment of time be swallowed up in the fulness of eternity and he change his earthly dwelling for an heavenly Mansion and his spiritual peace for an everlasting blessedness And when he that feareth the Lord shall be translated to that eternal bliss of which spiritual peace is the earnest and the blessed Sacrament the pledge that God whom he feared shall take care of his children that they by the blessing of his Providence as his seed shall inherit the earth which is the third blessedness the present comfort of an hopeful progeny § 13. His seed so near and dear are children especially good children to their parents that they are their very seed as if themselves were but as chaff or straw without them and to them as well as unto the Parents belong the promises for so saith God to Abraham Act. 2.39 Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee true it is temporal promises were the reward of legal obedience but now spiritual and eternal mercies are the incouragements of our Evangelical righteousness yea Canaan being a type of Heaven the temporal promises under the Law were the typical figures of those spiritual blessings given us in promise under the Gospel So that though the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Psal 112.2 yet may a righteous generation lose the inheritance of their fathers their just possessions by unjust violence and this without breach of this promise that the seed of those who fear the Lord shall inherit the earth § 14. For that to inherit the earth as spoken of Canaan in the type doth represent us the Evangelical promise of inheriting Heaven as the thing typified of which heavenly inheritance they cannot be deprived by an earthly violence who are the righteous seed of him who feares the Lord Thus have we seen the blessedness of him that feareth the Lord blessed in the saving knowledge of Christs sacred will in the quiet peace of a good conscience and in the present comfort of a hopeful progeny all which is implied when David here says VVhat man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit the earth § 15. To sum up all then what man is he that feareth the Lord that feareth lest he offend and feareth till he obtain pardon of his offences And therefore now that mercy comes down from heaven in this blessed Sacrament and rests upon this Ordinance as a sacred Mercy-seat he does not with Adam in the garden withdraw and hide himself in a distrustful fear but as Aaron in the Temple Gen. 3.6 he draws near in an
faith and a keeping firm a good conscience is that Integrity and uprightness which shall preserve us preserve us by fixing us upon God in Christ as the Rock of our salvation § 8. A Rock this is so deep that no floods can undermine it so high that no waves can overtop so strong that no storms can shatter it when the Soul is set upon this Rock it views the swelling waves how they some and break themselves but neither hurt nor hazard it and therefore does the Soul raised by faith triumphantly conclude that neither height nor depth neither the height of wicked violence nor the depth of worldly troubles shall separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8.29 Whereas then amidst the worlds changes and worldlings violences the upright man seems likeliest to be lost yet shall his Integrity preserve him For that this Maxim of sure truth Piety is the best Policy shall confound all Machiavels Principles in the end Ps 94 14.15 So fâ—â—m is that sacred word of promise The Lord will not cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance but Judgment shall return into Righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it § 9. 2 The Argument of faith wherewith David backs his Petition For I wait on thee As preservation is a continued creation so is waiting a continued trusting for what Trust believes by faith it waits for by hope and thus is Trust a Compound of both When we trust in God we look to the Word of promise and in that 1 Joh. 2.25 to the authority of him that speaks the word and this is the act of faith Again we look to the object of the promise and in that to the goodness of the object and this is the act of hope Yea further when we trust in God we rely upon his promise as from him who is the first Truth and this is faith And we wait for the promise Heb. 6 12 15. as from him who is the chief Good and this is hope Now that God oftentimes suspends the blessings we desire it is to try the trust we profess and if our trust be upright it will be constant the reliance of faith and the expectance of hope make our trust perfect so that the same grace which casts our souls upon God to trust in him will sustain our souls to wait till we enjoy him Ps 27.13 14. § 10. The truth of faith the sincerity of our trust and the integrity of our hope is never more evident then when help is deferred for if any unruliness of passion if any corruption of self love if any base interest of a temporal end if any such thing have tainted our trust our faith our hope it will then appear and our shame will accompany our sin the deserting a good cause by reason of great calamities will manifest to the world our hearts were not upright 1 Ioh. 2 19. however our professions seemed zealous Hereby shall it appear then that we truly trust God when we firmly rest in him Disquiet of mind discovers weakness of trust and a distracting fear argues a disturbed faith § 11. If with integrity we trust God we shall in piety and prudence commit our way to him Ps 37 5. we shall wait patiently the success of our faith and the effects of his providence Thus when the three Children had committed themselves to God Dan. 3 16. they are not careful to answer Nebuchadnezar they know their duty and let God work his will Indeed it is grace in act more then in habit in function more then in affection in use more then in stock that does quicken strengthen support and save And therefore the waiting Saint hath a waking soul his graces are not dormant slugg'd with security presumption or sloth no but still exercised in the duties of holy devotion and a sincere obedience in an active vigor of life and strength § 12. As in nature so in grace motion is the preservatâ—ve of purity and the incentive of heat even life it self is the more lively by action God say the Schools is a pure act and every creature hath the greater excellency of being by how much it hath the greater perfection of working Rev. 7.15 Rev. 4.8 the heavenly bodies have their rest in motion and the heavenly Saints their blessedness in operation the more holy the soul is the more heavenly aâ—d the more heavenly the more active It is then in the exercise of grace and duties of obedience that we wait for the accomplishment of Gods promise his promise of deliverance in time of trouble upon which promise David founds his prayer Psal 50.15 and fixeth his faith when he thus bespeaks God saying Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 13. Oh what is the best temper of soul then what the best exercise of grace what the best duties of devotion wâ—en in publick calamities or private distresses we wait for the salv tion of God 1. What the best temper of soul Answ When compos'd to a holy frame of divine patience this resolution we have from our Saviour when he gives the admonition to his chosen amidst the afflictions of his Church that in their patience they possess their souls Luke 21.19 which words compared with the contâ—xâ— admit this Paraphrase As if our Saviour had said though such shall be the persecution of my Church that men rob you of your goods by oppression rob you of your liberty by imprisonment rob you of your lives by cruelty yet let them not rob you of what is more dear and precious then ten thousand worlds your souls and that by sin through impatience of spirit apostatizing from God But in your patience possess your souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possess them so as to preserve them preserve them as your best of treasure even in the profession of faith and a good conscience which is still accompanied with peace and rest in the inward man So that the heart of the upright like the center of the earth amidst all the storms tempests and commot ons of the world Psal 112.7 it remains unmoveable from its stedfastness it is still fixed trusting in the Lord. § 14. 2. What the best exercise of grace Answ The exercise of humility of faith and of hope First humility tâ—is that dispels all secret murmurings at the publick order of Gods providence prompting the soul to an acknowledgment of his Justice and an advancement of his Mercy an acknowledgment of his Justice thus Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and unto all Israel that are near and that are far off through all the Countries whither thou hast driven them because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee O Lord to
the incense of his merits offered up before the Mercy-seat Rev. 8.3 the Throne of Grace And indeed our fervor being that of faith not of vision we may not expect the fire of our sacrifice to burn so clear as to have no smoke upon the Altar no Judg. 13.20 it is purely Angelical to ascend in a flame to heaven Whilst we are here Pilgrims and Sojourners dwelling in the earthly Tabernacles of our bodies 2 Cor. 5 1. vain Thoughts will still attend if not accompany our divinest services and devoutest supplications and when our supplications are most devout it is not the raised affection of the heart or fixt attention of the mind but the blessed mediation of our holy Jesus which makes the enlarged Suppliant to be accepted Let this then quiet thy soul amidst all the distractions of thy disturbing thoughts thou hast the mediation of Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 to make the secret desires of thine heart accepted of thy God 5. As thou hast the gracious Mediation of an alsufficient Saviour to supply thy defects so hast thou the strengthening power of his holy Spirit to help thine infirmities Rom. 8.26 2 Cor. 12.9 which strength is made perfect in weakness And when thou art emptied it shall fill thee when thou art stumbled it shall raise thee when thou art lost in thy self it shall by a secret evidence of divine love discover thee to be found in Christ who treading Satan under thy feet Rom. 16.20 Rom. 8.37 Phil. 3.10 shall make thee more then conqueror by fellowship with him in his death and in his victory The experience of Gods Saints will tell thee that they have many moneths ay some many years languished under this cross of vain thoughts and earthly distractions yet after long conflict have obtained a joyful conquest Ezek 7.16 Isa 40 31. and their mourning as Doves hath been changed into mounting up as Eagles in sweet enlargements yea ravishments of spirit by the grace of supplication and in their raised communions wiah God through Christ in the sacred duties of his holy Worship Know then O thou afflicted soul know assuredly that bearing thy Cross with patience waiting upon God in hope and relying upon Christ by faith thy vain thoughts resisted with diligence and bewail'd with sorrow shall neither deprive thee of Gods blessing nor declare thee void of his grace The Rules of Direction 1. In the duties of Gods worship affect thy soul with a rais'd apprehension of Gods sacred presence and an awful fear of his divine Majesty so mighty in power so excellent in purity his perfections infinite his presence glorious For this this is the main reason why the elect Angels and blessed Saints are so fixt in their thoughts so intent in their service Rev. 7.15 not liable to any the least wanderings even because their thoughts their hearts their whole selves are concentred in an heavenly contemplation of the majesty purity and holiness of Gods infinite essence Mat. 18 10. Rev 4 8. Ay and amongst men who is it that will play with a feather whilst he is speaking with a King This know then assuredly by how much the soul doth receive the deeper impressions of an awful reverence Heb. 12.28 by so much it shall find the less prevailings of worldly distractions 2. Keep thy faith fixt upon Christs mediation especially in the close of thy devotions Rev. 8.3 beholding his incense when thou offers thy sacrifice and though distractions have drawn thee from thy self yet let not distrust drive thee from thy Jesus But remember when vain Thoughts have taken off thy minds attention in Gods service then to breath forth some secret sighs and send them up to God as the winged messengers of thy Souls desires which shall certainly have their audience and acceptance at the Throne of Grace when their access is from the hand of Christ Eph. 2.18 It may be God suffers thy Thoughts to be loose that thy faith may be fixt Wherefore by how much Satan is the more busie to distract thy thoughts by so much be thou the more zealous to quicken thy devotions not being discouraged by any difficulties from the sincere though weak performance of thy holy duties especially closing still with an eye of faith Heb. 7.25 fixt upon Christ in his intercession And when Satan sees his suggestions help to increase the flame not put out the fire of thy devout zeal he will then in policie withdraw the temptation which in malice he hath continued to withdraw thee from thy God thy Jesus and thy devotion 3. Get an increase of saving knowledge as a sure means of sanctified thoughts The mysteries of Grace and sacred truths of the Gospel Mat 12.35 Luk. 6 45. they enrich the mind and become a good treasure which laid up in the heart doth still furnish the soul with sacred matter for divine meditation The Mind is a Mint continually going and whatsoever metal is cast in receives its stamp is form'd and fashion'd into thoughts of good or evil Mat 15.19 according to the matter which is administred Hereby then we give weight and worth to our thoughts by fixing them upon heavenly objects which heavenly objects are presented to the mind according to the knowledg of God and of Christ laid up in the Heart which when we are awake Deut. 6.7 Pro. 6.22 is said to talk with us For there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Soliloquy of Thoughts as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Conference of the Tongue yea by those we talk with God and with Christ So David When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Ps 27.8 As the best communion is that of the Spirit so the best communication is that of the Thoughts which are spiritual 4. Mortifie vile affections and inordinate passions as availing much to the restraining evil thoughts and vain imaginations For as wet wood when stirr'd so are our passions when mov'd Mat. 9.4 Luk. 11.17 Jer. 4.14 they send forth an whole crowd of thoughts which rise like thick vapors and fumes to cloud and oppress the mind The better then to subdue our passions we must strongly guard our senses for that a rebellion of affections within is oftentimes from an invasion of objects without Thus David he sees and then lusts and Job that he might not lust 2 Sam. 11.2.3 Job 31.1 he would not see And here O man whilst thou guardest thy senses and restrainest thine affections as to external objects beware oh beware of acting over that sin in inward speculation which thou hast formerly committed in outward action This speculative wickedness is the most polluting filth and most provoking guilt To have the outward enjoyments of sin is a committing fornication with the creature but to beget imaginations of sin and then pollute our selves with the brats of our own bosoms the children of
able to save unto the uttermost all those that come unto God by him Let thy Conscience then O dejected Penitent object the hainousness of thy sins and raise them to the greatest height by all aggravating circumstances as being committed against the dictate of reason and the light of knowledge as being reiterated again and again after solemn resolutions and the gracious enlightenings of the Spirit here thou being truly sensible of thy sin mayst not despair of mercy seeing Christ is not only able Heb 2.17 but also willing to save those who come unto God by him Rev. 12.10 even unto the utmost of what their Consciences can accuse or Satans malice aggravate The Rules of Direction 1. Raise thy faith and this by a frequent meditation upon the promises of grace and life By which meditation the soul shall the better suck out the sweetness and digest the nourishment of Gods mercy and truth And because Pattern prevails above Precept take this Instance for thy imitation Suppose thou fixest thine eye and thoughts upon that blessed truth and comfortable Text of S. Paul's This is a faithful saying 1 Tim. 1.15 and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief Upon this let thy soul dwell a while by serious meditation and in these or the like expostulating thoughts let thy faith gather strength and renew its vigor How Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners What was this the very end and purpose of Christs coming in the flesh and suffering on the Cross that he might bring men sinful men to salvation O divine Cordial to an afflicted soul O sweet comfort to a penitent Sinner I am convinc'd the words are gracious but how shall I be assured the saying is true Why it is the Word of God and shall I then distrust its truth Vain heart be not so deceitful it is a faithful saying this a saying as firm as God is holy as true as Truth it self But what right have I I so vile a Wretch to so divine a Truth Why my right lies in Gods mercy which here extends to all That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners it is a saying worthy of all men to be received Of all men sure then in that all I am included my particular is involv'd in this general Ps 78.41 Isa 59.1 for who shall limit the Holy one of Israel Ay but will God have respect to so hainous a sinner Have not my grievous sins made me unworthy of so gracious mercy Jam. 2 13. Yes unworthy but not uncapable It is the glory of Gods mercy to forgive sins the greater then my sins the greater his glory in their forgiveness Though then I be the chief of sinners I will rely upon my God in my Jesus for his chief of mercies and so resolve to apply the truth and comfort of this Evangelical doctrine delivered by the Apostle that this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief Thus in thy greatest dejections endevour to raise thy faith by meditation on the Promises to the greatness of thy sins opposing the riches of Gods mercy to the horror of thy guilt the fulness of Christs merits both unmeasurably infinite and gracious And as the skill of a Physician is the more eminent in curing a dangerous sickness Rom. 5.20 so is the goodness of Gods mercy more glorious in pardoning and the power of his grace more evident in healing hamous sins Bonitas invicta non vincitur infinita misericordia non finitur Gods invincible goodness is not by sin conquered nor his boundless mercy by guilt limited And therefore may he alone despair of pardon who can be more wicked then God is gracious And as for the merit of Christ it is a superabundant merit Though the purity of all the Heavenly Host is not able to wipe off the stain nor their death sufficient to expiate the guilt of the least transgression Joh. 1 29. 1 Joh. 1.7 2.2 yet is the least drop of the blood of the Son of God an expiatory sacrifice for the whole World how much more then shall these his streams of blood be sufficient in their fulness of merit for the most hainous sins of a relapsed Saint There may be then some disease of body which is opprobriū medicorū past the Physicians skil to cure but no wound no distemper of soul can pose or puzzle the mercy of God or merits of Christ to heal We cannot then dishonor Christ more then to distrust his grace and love to undervalue his merits and blood Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8 especially he having given so great a testimony of his love by his death and made so firm a Conveyance of the merits of his death in his promises yea and vouchsafed so sure a seal of those promises and of that merit in his Sacraments Be it so then O thou dejected and afflicted soul be it so that thy troubled Conscience does rage as the sea with uncessant accusations be it so that sin and hell besiege thee round with the bitter terrors of everlasting death and that now the waves and surges of temptations swell and overflow thee yet shalt thou not faint not sink not perish 1 Pet. 1.5 whilst the Son of God supports thee through faith in his merits a faith fixt upon the promises of grace and life in which promises thou mayst behold thy sins thy hainous sins thy mountain-sins swallowed up in the Sea of his blood yea thou mayst behold thy guilt thy horrid guilt long since cancell'd on Golgotha Col. 2.14 and expiated by the death of thy Redeemer 2. Renew thy Repentance and this in a deep contrition of heart and sincere humiliation of soul There being no flying from God but by flying to him no flying from his wrath but by flying to his mercy for which we have the comfort and encouragement of a gracious Advocate of a perfect Mediator 1 Joh. 2 1. 1 Tim. 2.5 Christ Jesus blessed for ever This of Contrition and Humiliation is that God calls for from revolting Judah Joel 2.12 and which he requires of all backsliding children even that they turn unto him with all their heart with fasting weeping and mourning Sighs and tears they are the Penitents best oratory for so saith David Ps 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Know then O thou afflicted soul though thy relapses into sin may hide Gods countenance yet upon repentance renewed they shall not banish thee from his presence though they beget a strangeness for a time yet shall they not beget a parting for ever And so however Satan aggravating thy sin may cloud the Joy yet shall he not take away the God of thy salvation Now to further thy raising thy faith and renewing thy repentance look upon the
approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION The Introduction WHen I see the greatest Lights of Learning have their Mists of Error I cannot think Ignorance shall go free Enter we the Schools and there we have Aquinas Doctor Angelicus Bonaventure Doctor Seraphicus Scotus Doctor Subtilis and Alexander Hales Doctor Irrefragabilis but enter we the Congregation and there instead of Angelical Aquine Seraphical Bonaventure Subtile Scotus and Irrefragable Hales Instead of these we meet with what I blush to tell you the Illuminated Cobler the Sublime Coachman the Profound Skinner the Inspired Waterman and the like And now finding so much Error in the Prophets Schools shall we seek for truth in the Separate Congregations No sure their many new lights what are they but so many antiently exploded Heresies Those very Errors which lay urned and buried with their Founders are raked up by the hand of a proud ignorance and their dust thrown in the eyes of the vulgar to a blinding them with folly that they cannot see the truth Whilest then we view the learned Schools or the illuminated Congregations with those in Melancthons time Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus We have whom we may flie but understand not whom we may follow Seeing therefore with the travailing woman the Churches embleme seeing with her we are driven into the Wilderness Revel 12.1 2 6. what shall be our guide that we loose not our way where shall we finde our Cynosure our Polestar to direct us in our passage that we miss not of life and salvation by Jesus Christ Why see see I point you to our Book of Articles that Summary of Faith that Star of Truth borrowing its Sacred Light from the Sun of Righteousness in the Gospel of our Jesus This this Commentary of our Creed it hath had the Gospel Testimony that of Martyrdom and being published to the view of the whole world it hath been approved by the judgment of Reformed Churches and justified here at home by the ablest Pens against all the arguments of Popish and Heretical opposers Now then Beloved seeing these are your days of great tryal hold fast to this form of sound Doctrine keep close to this Pillar of saving truth what St. Paul foretold is now come to pass and this Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. The quantity of guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even or also Heresies Explic. Whereby the Apostle doth denote unto us the more hainous guilt of Heresie being above that of Schism for so relating to the former verse whereas the Apostle had heard that there were Schisms among them he receives the report with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I partly believe it Vers 18. And as a Reason of this his facility and easiness of belief he addes this Premonition For there must be also Heresies among you As if he had said That I am so easily perswaded there are Schisms is from hence That I certainly know there shall be Heresies among you even Heresies which are of a more hainous guilt to the Soul and a more destructive danger to the Church And thus this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Gal. 5.12 it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by way of an Auxesis intimating the aggravation of Heresie from its comparison with Schism Now how horrid a sin Schism is may appear from the judgment of St. Cyprian founded upon the Testimony of St. Paul Cypr. de Uniâ—aâ— Eccles nâ—m 12. Macula ista nec sauguine abluitur gravis haec culpa nec passione purgatur It is a stain upon the Soul not washt of with our blood a guilt upon the Conscience not expiated by Martyrdom And this Cyprians Assertion is founded upon St. Pauls Doctrine in 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Schism as violating the Bond of Charity destroyes the Churches Unity but Heresie beside the breach of the Churches Unity as violating the Foundation of Faith destroyes the Churches Being the very Essential Form of the Church consists in Union the Bond of which Union is Faith which Faith Heresie destroyes both in the Object and in the Act both as to Doctrine and as to Grace Matth. 18.17 Observe our Saviour He that will not hear the Church let him be to thee Velut Ethnicus as an Heathen that is Let him be excommunicate and cast out of the Church This for the Schismatick but hear Tertullian Tertul. de Pulic c. 19. Apud nos Ethnico par super Ethnicum haereticus habetur With us the Heretick is accounted not onely as but even worse then the Heathen And if we ask Epiphanius the reason his answer is ready Epiphan in Anchorat n. 9. and resolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A perverse faith is worse then Infideiity and so the Heretick is worse then the Heathen Both indeed have their Infidelity onely with this difference the Heathens infidelity is Negative and the Hereticks is Positive Now as sins of Commission exceed in guilt sins of Omission so the Hereticks infidelity which is Positive exceeds in guilt the Infidelity of the Heathen which is Negative Besides open enmity is not so hateful as secret treachery nor a profest adversary so odious as a perjur'd friend If we consult the writings of the sacred Scriptures and of the antient Fathers we finde an holy zeal pursuing Heresie with the blackest characters of guilt and heaviest sentence of doom ask St. Peter and he will tell us 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Heresies they are pernicious destructive damnable Tit. 1.11 Ezek. 22.25 they subvert whole houses they devour souls they seize the heart and life of Religion corrupting the minde and stupifying the Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 2 Tim. 3.8 Revel 8.11 to a making blinde hardened seard reprobate This the wormwood which makes bitter the waters of the Sanctuary this the leaven that sowres the whole lump Matth. 16.11 the whole Doctrine of the Gospel Matth. 13.38 this the tares which choak the good Wheat in Christs field this the canker that so deeply eats 2 Tim 2.17 the gangreen that so dangerously spreds in the Body of the Church Rev. 9.1 this the smoak of the furnace and of the infernal pit that darkens the Sun and infects the Air that clouds the Truth and corrupts the Word of Grace These the black characters of Heresie in the writings of the sacred Scriptures and the like we finde in the writings of the antient Fathers Cyril in Joan. l. 1. c. 4. Cyril he calls Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devils journeymen in the works of destruction Nazian Orat. 42. and gins of death Nazianzen he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satans
3.10 in vain did the Fathers implore the Royal Aid of the Imperial Scepter and make supplication to Kings as Nursing-fathers of the Churches peace St. Jerome speaking of Arrius of Alexandria he tells us Hieron in Gal. 5.9 Una scintilla fuit was but as one spark sed quia non statim suppressa est because he had at first some indulgent toleration and not a speedy suppression Therefore this small spark was kindled to a great fire Et totum orbem ejus flamma depopulata est And the flame of his heretical fury laid waste the whole Christian world Herein then is the Zeal of the Antients worthy our imitation to endeavor a niping the Bud a cutting off the Branches and a plucking up the Roots of Heresies Now let us inquire Question What are the preservatives against the infection of Heresies Answer First To be sincere in Obedience Secondly Answer Humble in Minde Thirdly Fervent in Prayer Fourthly Rooted in the Faith 1. To be sincere in Obedience 1 Tim. 3 9. He that will hold the Mystery of the Faith it must be in a pure Conscience To keep the Conscience clear in an exercise of Holiness is a sure means to keep the judgment sound in doctrines of Faith and this accords with our Saviours rule of experience If any man will do Gods will he shall know of the doctrine Joh. 7.17 whether it be of God or of man It was a quick and a quaint answer which Cardinal Pole is said to have given a Priest In viâ—a Poli Card n. the Priest asked him How he might best understand the former part of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans being dogmatical and deep the Cardinal answered By practising the latter part which is parenetical and plain Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes ep 136. so Synesius An upright life is the entrance of Divine Knowledge or as Solomon The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Practical Duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat 29. Psal 119.100 are the surest steps to Theoretical Notions That David becomes wiser then his teachers and attains more knowledge then the Antients it is in the keeping Gods Commandments 2. Humble in Minde Corporal and Spiritual things are differently discovered Corporal things the higher they are seated the higher we must look whereas in Spiritual things the loftier are the Mysteries Bern. Serm. 62. in Cant. the lower must be our mindes Superbo oculo non videtur veritas submisso patet Truth will not discover her self in her naked verity to the proud and scornful eyes but will lay her self open to the sincere and humble so devout Benard 3. Fervent in Prayer The Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Holiness and the Spirit of Holiness is the Spirit of Prayer So that to be fervent in Prayer must needs be a sure means to be sincere in Holiness and sound in the Truth Heresie is a Spiritual infatuation upon the Soul against which no preservative is more effectual then that Wisdom which is from above Jam. 3.17 Jam. 1.5 pure and peaceable And if any man lack this wisdom August Conf. l. 11. c. 2. let him ask it of God saith St. James Wherefore when we read Gods Word let St. Augustines Prayer be our devotion Domine Jesu sint castae deliciae meae Scripturae tuae Lord Jesu let thy sacred Scriptures be my chaste delights Non fallar in eis non falâ—am ex eis Let me not be deceived my self in them nor deceive others by them 4. Rooted in the Faith As for Heresies they have their strength from our weakness Tert. de Prae. script c. 2. Nihil valent si in bene valentem fidem incurrant They have no power when they encounter a Faith which is Powerful they are such then as are seised with that Spiritus vertiginis That spirit of giddiness Isa 19.14 who are carried about with every wind of doctrine and in their variety of opinions Non errorem exuunt sed mutant They put off their old Errors as they do their old Clothes to put on new What are those persons then thus fickle and inconstant in their opinions Eph. 4.14 Why St. Paul tells us They are children that is Weaklings in the Faith Thus being sincere in Obedience humble in Minde fervent in Prayer and rooted in the Faith we have our preservative against Heresies That though we cannot avoid them in their event yet we may repel them as to their infection Wherefore when false Prophets arise and Heresies infest the Church curb ye the murmurings of Discontent quell ye the repinings of Impatience be ye not offended at Gods providence nor discouraged in your Piety Our Blessed Lord and his Holy Apostles have foretold us of what we finde and forewarned us of what we feel 1 Pet. 4 12. the Fiery tryal of Heresie and Persecution This is that we ought in our greatest posperity to expect with fear and therefore do we in our greatest adversity endure it w th patience Holding Faith and a good Conscience till the victory of Truth which is great and will prevail crown our sufferings To this end make we it a chief part of our Prayer unto Christ as the woman of Tekoah unto David 2 Sam. 14 4. save O King Save O Jesu Thou King of Glory Head of thy Church save us O thou that art the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 Shew us the Way for thou art our Prophet Lead us in the Truth for thou art our Priest and Crown us with Life for thou art our King And see see a fit season for this your Devotion your preparatory service to the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist in which your preparatory supplications to that sacred Ordinance remember that part of our Churches Letany and Devâ—tion From all Sedition and Privy Conspiracy from all false Doctrine and Heresie Good Lord deliver us Amen Amen THE THIRD SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION Introduction IT is Satans subtlety to instruct his Agents by a pretence of some truth to seduce into much error And therefore when the Devil would needs turn Evangelist and Preach Christ the Son of God Mark 3.11 12. our Saviour does forbid and silence him If we inquire the reason why Satan is silenced Venerable Bede answers our enquiry Bed in loc with a Ne dum aliquis audit vera praedicantem sequatur errantem least any hearing him Preach what was true should follow him when he seduceth into error Accordingly we read how the Orthodox Christians of old did shun the Congregations Basil ep 69. and meeting places of Hereticks unworthy the name of Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Schools of ungodliness Indeed who art thou that goest to hear one that speaks B asphemy thinkest thou thine ear shall
be innocent and his tongue guilty If he that speaks lends his tongue doest not thou that hears lend thine ear unto the Devil But thou wilt say Thou canst not think them Heretical in their Opinions who are holy in their lives and therefore won by their example thou attendst unto their Doctrine Yet be not deceâ—ved for Hypocrisie still leads in Heresie by the hand Macedonius Donatus Pelagius and others though Arch-hereticks yet as strict for life as reprobate concerning the faith It is no new thing 2 Tim. 3 8. for the Devil to appear in Samuels shape and mantle 1 Sam 28 14 for Heresie to rise up in the shew and dress of truth Let not then the Preaching some truth and the pretending much holiness be baits to draw thee iâ—to Heresies For that our Apostle here forewarns his Corinthians eminent in gifts and graces he forewarns them with much emphasis of Premonition There must be also Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 4. The propinquity of its danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you Explic. Hieromâ—â— Jer 22. there must be also Heresies among you Omnis Haereticus Nascitur in Ecclesia Every Heretick is begotten and brought forth in the Church as a Viperous Brood eating thorow the Womb that bare it He who never profest the Faith of Christ is an Infidel whether Jew Turk or Pagan He who renounceth Christ and the Faith he hath profâ—st is an Apostate such was Judas Simon Magus and Julian He who professing the true Faith in some parts corrupts or overthrows the Faith in other particulars he is an Heretick such was Sabellius Apollinaris Arrius Nestorius Macedonius Pelagius and others Now these three the Apostate Heretick and Infidel have this dâ—fference of degrees in their greatness and guilt of sin The Apostate he is guilty of greatest transgression as violating the most of Obligation The Heretick he is next in guilt of sin as being next in breach of Faith and both are so much worse then the Infidel by how much defection and a traiterous breach of Loyalty is worse then non-submâ—ssion or refusal of Allegeance The Jew Turk and Pagan have the more sin as to the extension of their Infidelity because guilty of more error but the Heretick sins moâ—e as to the intension of the guilt because more opposite to the Law of Faith And of those that fall away they sin so much the more haâ—nously by how much they have been instructed the more fully Heresies then which are ad languorem interitum fidei productae Tert. de Prae. script c. 2. brought forth to the decay and destruction of the Faith they are Tares which grow up in Christ's field Evils which arise in the body yea in the bosom of the Church yea even of that Church which Paul had planted Apollo watered and God given the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 No Purity of faith then may priviledge any Church from the poyson of Heresies since that of Corinth is infested Corinth so famous for the gifts of Tongues of Prophecy of Knowledge of Eloquence yea so eminent for the graces of Faith of Charity of Patience of Hope and in all for Zeal How comes the Wolf then into this fold so strongly guarded How comes this Church of Corinth to be infected and infested with Heresies Why especially because Heresies still appear in the shape of truth and the shew of holiness The Wolf covers himself up so close in the Sheeps clothing Optat. cont Parmen l. 2. Ut prius ovis mordentem sentiat quam praesentiat venientem that the innocent Sheep feels him biting before it perceives him coming And thus many poor souls are unawares seized by Heresie before they discover the false Prophet to be an Heretick Manes himself so prophanely blasphemous yet hides his blasphemy under this vail An Apostle of Jesus Christ and intitles his Heretical Paradoxes with an Haec sunt salubria verba de perenni ac vivo fonte These are the wholsome and saving words from the eternal and living Fountain of Truth so St. Augustine If Simon Magus attract the eye and ear yea the judgment and affection too of the vulgar it is with this cover upon his Divellish Sorceries Acts 8.10 The great power of God If Montanus seduce with his Fanatick dreams it is by the plausible insinuation of being the Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Orat. 2. cont A ian Quest Answ Matth. 7.16 promised by Christ and sent from Heaven Yea Arrius the Arch-heretick as full of cruelty and blood as of Heresie and Blasphemy yet in his Thaleia he asserts the doctrine he delivers to be according to the Faith of Gods Elect and of those holy Men who have received the Holy Ghost and were taught of God But if such be the close subtilty and fair shew if such the plausible pretences and yet desperate deceit of Hereticks how are they discovered how are they known Answer Our Saviour himself resolves us By their fruits ye shall know them Not onely meant of their fruits of manners but chiefly of their fruits of Doctrine the evil consequences of what they teach as well as the evil actions which they practise Haeresis docta est mentiri non linguâ tantum sed vitâ Bern. Serm. 65. in Cant. For that oftentimes Heresie is taught not onely to lie in words but also in works not onely with the tongue but also in the life As many teach well which live ill so many teach ill which live well teach ill as to doctrine and opinion which yet live well as to manners and conversation that is well as to the eye of the world but impossible so as to the eye of God For every Heretick as formally such not onely violates the Faith but also makes breach of Charity and where there is not Faith working by Love let the shew of Piety be more then Angelical yet is it Hypocritical and how ever gracious in the eye of men yet is it odious in the sight of God Socrat. l. 2. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ep 82. We read of Arrius that as he was himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subtle in disputes so were his followers grave in their sanctity yea for the reverence had to their feigned sobriety temperance and holiness offices of dignity and trust were committed to their charge Yea as for the Macedonians blasphemous in their Heresie yet Nazianzen gives this testimony of them Nâ—zian â— 2â— 44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though we admire their lives yet we approve not their doctrine Here you see the blasphemous Macedonians and the no less blasphemous Arrians advanced to offices of dignity for the esteem of their Piety and though horrid Hereticks yet they live as to Formal Religion to the wonder and admiration of the Orthodox Yea Beloved I have my self wondered to see many of the Heretical so Formally
Pious and most of the Orthodox so prophanely impious but I have soon silenced those thouâ—hts and husht that wonderment When I apprehend how it is Satans master-peece of subtlety to blast the honor of the true Faith by an open prophaneness and to set off the credit of Heresie with a form of Holiness Besides Luxury Drunkenness Whoredome the too too common sins of prophane persons otherwise Orthodox in the faith they are sins truly bestial but as for Pride Malice Envy the common though close sins of Heretical persons Formal in Holiness they are sins right Diabolical And it is our Saviours resolution Matth. 21.23 That Publicans and Harlots enter the Kingdom of God that is are wrought upon to Conversion before Pharisaical Hypocrites and Formal Hereticks Wherefore when according to our Saviours rule Matth. 7.15 16. we judge of false Prophets by their fruits we must not onely examine the fruits of manners because their Hypocrisie may for a time deceive us but also the fruits of their doctrine whether what they teach us tend to the violation of divine Charity the dissolution of holy Unity or the breach of publick Peace again whether that they teach us tend to the prophaning Gods worship the depressing his grace and the diminishing his glory Are these the fruits of their doctrine to destroy Magistracy in the State and Government in the Church To bring neglect of Gods worship and contempt of his Ordinances to promote Licentiousness countenance Disorders and hasten on Confusion If so notwithstanding their plausible pretences of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus The Throne of Christ the Liberty of the Gospel the Discoveries of Grace the Breathings of the Spirit the Outgoings of the Lord and the like Notwithstanding all these plausible pretences yet by their fruits we know them know them to be Ministers of Satan taking upon them to be Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.15 and though with the Prince of darkness they are transformed into Angels of Light yet their cloven foot discovers them their Doctrine which still ends in deformity and division That all this is infallibly true finde it attested by St. Peter and St. Jude in their several Epistles We will close then with St. Augustines observation That the Devil seeing his Temples forsaken and his Oracles silenced he subtlely deviseth to make a new supply to his Kingdom by having his Ministers still in and about the Church Qui sub vocabulo Christiano Doctrinae resisterent Christianae who under a Christian name should resist the Christian Doctrine and under the shew of sanctity seduce into the way of Heresie No wonder then if St. Paul to put his Corinthians upon their stricter guard does give them the emphatical Premonition of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you Quest To propose then and resolve this Quaere That seeing Satan arms his Instruments with his own arts and instructs Hereticks with a sleight and cunning Eph. 4 14. even to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an art and method of deceiving Seeing it is thus How may we know the deceitful workings of Heresie by what means and in what manner does it instil its poyson Answ and spread its infection Answer 1 By pretending and perverting the sacred Scriptures The Spirit of delusion still brings Scripture in the front of his temptation not to instruct but to deceive And as it was with the Master so is it with the Schollers the Hereticks mouths are full of Scripture Matth. 22.29 yet we may truly say of them what our Saviour said of the Sadduces They erre not knowing the Scripture They have the Words indeed but not the Sense the Letter but not the Spirit however they boast themselves with confidence of both Iren. l. 1. c. 1. But as Irenaeus gives us the apt Simile comparing Hereticks to the maker of Molten Images who taking the Golden Statue and Image of a King and transforming it into the shape and Image of a Wolf he may by a fallacy affirm This is the Kings Image Now by the like couzenage and deceit the Heretick perverting the precious Word of God and framing from thence his Heretical opinions may say This is the Word of God True this Heretical doctrine is said to be the Word of God right as that Image of the Wolf is said to be the Royal Statue and Image of the King materially but not formally so There is the same Matter but not the same Form the same Word but not the same Sense And the true Believer whilst he acknowledgeth the mettal he discerneth the shape the mettal that of the Kings the shape that of the Wolfs The words those of Scripture sacred and true but the sense that of Heresie perverted and false 2. A vain gingling and jugling of words I cannot call it a wily Sophistry but a witless Vanity yet like the cantings of the Gypsies it takes the ignorant An instance and example of this Epiphanius gives us in the Arians who denying Christ to be the eternal Son of God Epiphan Haeres 69. they say of him That he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature but not as one of the Creatures a work but not as one of the works begotten but not as one of the begotten Here that of Nazianzen is very apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In these follies to cure their Brains is to confute their Arguments Hellebore is the best Syllogism Anticyrae the fittest Schools This of the Arians a Creature but not as one of the Creatures begotten but not as one of the begotten A â—han cont Arian râ—n 1. orat 3. Athanasius answers with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should speak without speaking and understand without understanding 2 Tim. 2.16 This right that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that vain babling which Timothy must avoid as being proper for them Whose words increase unto more ungodliness whereas that Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus hath still its form of sound words 2 Tim. 2.13 its proper phrase to express plain truth Yea besides their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of vain babling it is ordinary with the Hereticks of late as once with the Valentinians and Gnosticks of old they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their words of new coyning such as neither themselves nor their followers ever understood Yet these simple Souls because they understand not they admire and admiring they are seduced to believe what they do not understand 3. A busie Tongue and Pen always prating and printing As they swell big with self-conceit so Emperick and Mountebank like they are still professing their art and prescribing Receipts yea the very Women as Tertullian speaks of old how malepert how confident Tere. de Prae script c. 41. and daring even to teach to dispute and that with the ablest Divines as some of them have sent their challenge Nazian Orat. 51. And
quam temeraria scientia Better is a modest and faithful ignorance then a rash and confident knowledge 4. Strict watchfulness Knowing this that Hereticks by their subtle pretences and hypocritical shews do inescare animas Jer. 5.26 Ezek. 13 13. catch souls as the fowler does Birds the fowler he straws some good Corn to entice but withal sets a snare to entangle Thus the Heretick he will teach some truth to allure but withal much error to deceive Wherefore when St. Paul forewarns the Church of Ephesus Act 20.29 That grievous wolves not sparing the flock should enter in among them He gives this Premonition with his prediction Attendite vobis ipsis toti gregi Take heed to your selves and to all the flock vobis ipsis to your selves in the first place for there lies the cheif spight and malice of Heresie and Schism it is against the Pastors of the Church the Shepherds of the flock the flock they aim at for the fleece and those they strive to seduce by flattery but the Shepherds they aim at in malice and those they strive to fright with fear or throw out with violence Wherefore seeing the Heart of man is deceitful above all things Jer. 17 9. So that we can never be confident enough of our sincerity never assured enough of our constancy do we therefore keep a strict watch over our hearts least Heresie by pretences deceive us by flattery allure us by fears affright us by distresses discourage us from owning ptofessing and maintaining the Faith and truth of Jesus Christ and that we may be thus watchful over our selves keep we a waking eye fixt upon our reward with God knowing this that if our reward were from men we might then fear their frown and seek their favor But seeing God is our reward Gen. 15.1 his promises must be our comfort his grace our strength his love our joy and his heavenly presence our eternal happiness 5. And lastly Holy Zeal Zeal in profession of the Faith declaring our high value and esteems of the truth Thus Margaret de Valois Queen of Navarre was wont to say That she received it as a greater act of favor from God that she was Orthodox and Reformed in the Truth then that she was Wife Sister and Aunt to Kings and Scultetus he tells us of Henry Duke of Saxony Scultet Exercit Evangel l. 2. c. 5. that when he received this message from Duke George his elder Brother That either he must renounce his Interest in the Protestant Faith or loose his right of succession to the inheritance of Misnia he returned this answer Pluris se aestimare Jesum quam omnem Misniam That he esteemed more of Jesus then of all Misnia Thus in Zeal to the Faith of Christ resolve we yea profess we rather to be with Truth in a dungeon then with Heresie in a Palace with Truth in bonds then with Heresie in robes with Truth on the Gibbet then with Heresie on the Throne Yea not onely Zeal in professing but also Zeal in pleading for the Truth Observe we St. Judes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 3. Earnestly to contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints yet contend not in Passion but with Prudence to justifie not to disgrace the Truth and in our Zeal to the Faith as Athanasius and the Antients refused to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters pacificatory from the Arians so do we refuse all Church-fellowship and communion with those who by their doctrines of Heresie overthrow the Foundation of Christianity Thus we have resolved how we are approved and how made manifest There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Applic. Let us recount with gratitude and extol with praise the Divine wisdom grace and goodness of our God who brings to his chosen light out of darkness good out of evil ordering the poyson of the Serpent to be an Antidote unto his Church The mist of Error for a clearing of the Truth the malice of the Heretick for the honor of the Orthodox Thus as we of the same Letters differently transposed do make far different words So God of the same causes differently ordered he makes as far different effects The Blasphemy of Ebion and Cerinthus kindles an holy flame in St. John's Brest occasioning by their Heretical doctrine his Seraphical Gospel which hath worthily stiled him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. John the Divine Had it not been for the irritating impudence and importunity of Heresie and Schism how many eminent lights had either hid their Candle under a Bushel Mark 4.21 or under a Bed either covered their gifts with a vail of modesty or of sloth Thus by the manifold grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Quod inimicus Machinatur in perniciem Aug. ep 105. ad Sixt. Presb. Deus convertit in adjutorium so St. Augustine What the enemy deviseth and designeth for ruine and destruction God orders and turns to succor and salvation According to that his promise Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose From whence was it that such an holy vigor of divine learning and devout Holiness did inflame the Brests and instruct the Pens of Athanasius Basil and Augustine was it not raised from an holy Zeal against those blasphemous Heresies and Heretical blasphemies of Arius Eunomius and Pelagius And now as long as Piety and Learning do live the memory of those holy and learned Fathers shall not die though this prophane and illiterate age would seem to give them their deaths wound And now comfort your selves Beloved in the midst of Heresies rage it cannot pluck up the Root though it break off some Branches of the Church it cannot throw down the solid Stock though shake off some rotten fruit Though the number of true Professors be the less yet the worth is greater And let them have more of our esteems of love who have more of the stamp of truth approved and manifested as firm and setled in the Faith Tert de P aescript ◠3. Avolent quantum volant paleae levis fidei Let the flitting chaff of a light Faith flie whither it will with every breath of Satans or the Worlds temptation Eo purior massa frumenti in horreo domini reponetur so Tertullian The more pure heap of Corn is laid up in the Lords Barn Goshen's light was the more illustrious for Egypts darkness and the Worlds Apostacy sets a lustre upon the Churches Constancy Wherefore Beloved that ye be not carried about with every wind of doctrine yea that you be not removed from your stedfastness but may be preserved sound in the unity of the Faith take the Apostles prescription To hold fast to the Apostles Prophets Eph 4. and Evangelists yea the Pastors and Teachers wh ch Christ hath ordained in his Church hold
then that will intrust his liberty or estate to the judgment of a few puny Novices rather then the sage Baristers of the Law And what shall we intrust our Faith and in that our Souls to the opinions of Fanatick Enthusiasts and not rather to the Religious Pastors of the Church and faithful Preachers of the Gospel Yea let me propose it to the judicature of your own reason whether it be equal when any ware hath been judged warrantable or sophisticate by any of your companies that then the judgment of some puny Journeymen should be preferred The like case is in the Controversies of the Church and what will you have more regard to your wares then to your Faith to your commodities then to your Salvations and allow that in the Church which you will not admit of in your shop I urge this the rather because though we may say of our Church what Lyrinensis does of Origens family Vincent Ly◠cont Donat. c. 23. that it is illustrata mantyrio made glorious by Martyrdom such Martyrdom as no Church in the World can out-vy in its Crown of Glory yea beautified with the richest and most magnificent furniture of all kinde of learning yet as Iraeneus tells us of the Hereticks of old Iren. l. 3 c. 1. That they took upon them to be Emendatores Apostolorum Reformers of the Apostles so since that the Romanists have took upon them to be Emendatores Patrum Reformers of the Fathers witness their Index Expurgatorius yea we have them rose up amongst us who will be Emendatores Reformatorum such as reform our Reformers calling into question that Gold which the whole Company of Goldsmiths have tryed by the Touchstone Those Doctrines our Church hath examined and determined according to Gods Word and given Testimony too to those Truths sealing them with their blood Wherefore seeing in the publick ruptures of our Church Heresies and Schisms as in the broken Walls of a Palace Adders and Serpents do breed and multiply that you may avoid their infection and sting 1 John 4.1 Believe not every Spirit Non omni quia omni Believe not every Spirit because it will be every thing any thing but what it ought to be Eph. 4.4 believe that Spirit which is but one but one Spirit as but one Truth One truth delivered us by the faithful Pastors of the Church as by one mouth whereas the factious and heretical they are divided in their spirits Tert. de praescript c. 42. and their opinions so that Schisma est unitas ipsis as Tertullian tells us their unity is that of Schism not of Faith not of Faith for that hearkens to the voice and Ministry of the Church delivering the Word and Truth of God in which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded In the farther prosecution of the two parts of our Saviours Instruction establishing to us the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of his Church we will resolve you three seasonable questions and clear unto you two vulgar Errors 1. Resolve you three seasonable questions which are these 1. What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Scriptures 2. How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God 3. In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the Scriptures First What is the Authority of the Church compared with the Quest 1 Scriptures I answer Answ The Church of England keeps the middle path betwixt two extreams both by ways of Error she gives due honor to the Catholick Church but cheif honor to the sacred Scriptures whereas the Romanist exalting the Churches dignity debaseth the Scriptures Authority and the Sectary advancing the Scriptures Authority debaseth the Churches dignity Avoiding then the Errors of Papism and Faction we acknowledge with St. Paul Eph. 2.20 Quippè illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam de doctrina quà m de persona intelligendum Ambros de Fid. l. 1. c. 4. That the Church hath its Foundation fixt upon the Scriptures and from thence we infer infallibly the Scriptures cannot have their Authority derived from the Church And therefore St. Ambrose makes his challenge to the Emperor Gratian Nolo argumento credas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus in terrogemus Apostolos interrogemus Prophetas interrogemus Christum quod multum Patrem interrogemus cujus honori studere se dicunt I desire not O sacred Emperor that thou shouldst believe our Argument and Dispute let us ask the question of the Apostles of the Prophets of Christ What shall I say more Let us ask the Father whose honor they say being Arians they contend for And we hearken with consent of judgment to that known resolution of Faith given by St. Augustine Audi non dicit Donatus hear Aug. ep 48. it is not said Thus saith Donatus thus saith Rogatus or thus saith Vincentius or thus saith Hilarius or thus saith Austine no but Thus saith the Lord. It is the Authority then of the Scripture which gives firmness of truth to the Doctrines of the Church Yet again we acknowledge what St. Paul affirms 1 Tim. 3.15 That the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillar and stay of truth in that as the Edicts of Kings are fastned unto Pillars so the Word of Truth the Gospel of Christ is committed unto the Church to be held forth in its genuine sense and proper interpretation to the view of all as the sole object of Faith So that the seat of saving Truth the custody of the Gospels promises the treasury of spiritual riches in a word the faithful depositary of Gods Word is to be found in Sion the City of the living God the Church of Jesus Christ And thus the Church does not give Authority to the Scriptures yet declares the Authority of the Scriptures she doth not impose a sense but expounds it So that the Church is the Heavenly Orbe in which the glorious light of saving Truth and Gospel Mysteries shines forth unto the Faithful Secondly How do we come to believe that the Scriptures are the Quest 2 Word of God In answer to this observe Answ Ep◠3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mysteries of the Gospel contain such a manifold wisdom as is the Angels astonishment so that needs must they be the Council of Gods Bosom not the invention of mans brain However then the Grammatical sense and Logical connexion of words and phrases be discerned by the common light of Humane Reason yet that of our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conviction of the Spirit John 16.8 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 4.2 and St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstration and manifestation of the Spirit is a work transcending the skill a wonder surpassing the discovery of natural men here Omnis Platonicorum caligavit subtilit as Cypr. de Sp. Sancto All the subtlety of Plato's School is put to silence A Deo then
in us and inflames it that raiseth Hope in us and confirms it Such the influence of life and grace from Christ as by a secret and ineffable operation of the Spirit enlightens the understanding convinceth the judgment perswades the affections inclines the heart attracts the will quiets the conscience and so sanctifies and sways the whole man to a ready and constant obedience of Faith a chearful and patient expectation of Hope together with the devout and fervent aspirings of Love in all which O the wonder of Gods wisdom and grace in all the will suffers no compulsion from Christ but He draws and we run He inclines Cant. 1.4 Phil. 2.12 13. and we imbrace He perswades and we desire He strengthens and we work He encourages and we labour And yet not we 1 Cor. 15.10 but the grace of God that is with us Grace sways so powerfully as if the Will had no freedom in the action And yet the Will acts so freely as if Grace had not sway in the election We see daily how humane wisdom orders the use of natural motions to the producing artificial effects Thus the Artists skill doth order the Plummets weight by its natural motion of descending to distribute and distinguish the houres and minutes of the clock And what shall Art thus imploy and improve Nature in what is of humane production and yet must God be thought to subvert and destroy it in what is of Divine operation No sure God so works upon the will by his Spirit and grace as not at all to weaken it in the liberty of its election and choice but rather delivering it from the chains of sin and bonds of lust it acts most freely in what God inclines it to most powerfully and is radically indifferent when naturally determined whereby it is that we become which is the honor of our service willing Subjects of Christs Kâ—ngdom Members conformable to him their Head Ps 110 3. quickened and actuated by his Spirit and grace This our third Particular that Christ is the Head of the Church as for the fulness of his perfection for the excellency of his glory so likewise for the lively operations of his Spirit 4. The real Communication of his Benefits Col. 3.11 Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all and in all As in all the faithful by the lively operations of his Spirit so all to the faithful in the real communications of his benefits He is all to the faithful all Truth to their Illumination all Righteousness to their Justification all Holiness to their Sanctification all Comfort to their Consolation all Glory to their Exaltation and all Fulness to their Perfection The actions of the Head they are all for the good and profit of the body The eye sees not for it self but for the body the ear hears not for it self but for the body Thus our Lord Jesus Christ he communicates his benefits to the Church the redemption which he hath wrought the heavenly inheritance which he hath purchased he bestows upon his Church His incarnation passion resurrection and ascension were and are all for the benefit and use of the faithful as members of his body the Church 2 Cor. 8.9 He was humbled that they might be exalted He was made the son of man that they might be made the sons of God He suffered death that they might obtain life John 14.2 He rose from the grave that death might have no power over them He ascended into the heavens to provide mansions for them in the heavens He is sate down at the right hand of his Father that at the last he might make them to sit with him on his throne Rev. 3.21 Thus is our Lord Jesus Christ the everlasting Fountain of life the overflowing Spring of grace all whose streams do run into the bosom of his body his Church by vertue of that communion the faithful have with him in the fulness of his benefits as their head This the explication then of our first Part How Christ is said to be the Head of the Church and it is chiefly in these four respects For the fulness of his Perfection the excellency of his Glory the lively operations of his Spirit and the real communication of his benefits Quest 1 We proceed to resolve unto you these two necessary Questions or Cases of Conscience the one What is the surest testimony of a communion with Christ in his fulness as our Head the other How may we best confirm this our communion with him 1. What is the surest testimony of a communion with Christ in his fulness as our Head Answ Answ A conformity unto Christ in his holiness as his members Christ as he is the original of spiritual life so is he the pattern of Evangelical holiness He the Original from which the being of the new man is form'd and the pattern to which the image of the new man is proportioned From Christ it is that we are baptized with the Holy Ghost as with fire Matth. 3.11 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so says the Philosopher and in this Grace imitates Nature in that from the Altar of the Heart where the fire of the Spirit is first kindled a vital heat diffuseth it self to a quickening the whole spiritual man in each faculty and power of the soul and in each part and member of the body Thus is Christ the Original of Life Observe further how he is also the Pattern of Holiness in that our actual sanctification consists in a conformity to his holy life not as to the works of his merit and mediation nor as to the works of his glory and transfiguration nor yet as to the works of his power and miracles but as to the works of his ordinary and imitable obedience that visible Commentary of Gods Law and that exemplary Discipline of his Gospel in works of love of humility meekness patience c. Therefore S. Paul gives the exhortation Phil. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus The same mind that is the same sincerity and truth of judgment and profession the same integrity and sweetness of heart and affections the same innocence and tenderness of love and compassions And thus S. Peter exhorts As he who hath called you is holy 2 Pet. 1.15 so be ye holy in all manner of conversation In all manner of conversatiâ—â— both as to an active and a passive obedience An active obedience in doing his will and a passive obedience in suffering for his name doing his will with all integrity and faithfulness and suffering for his name with all constancie and meekness And when the Apostle says Be ye holy as he who hath called you is holy the Apostle's as does not require our obedience mathematically equal but evangelically like For that the holy unction of the Spirit poured forth upon Christ Luke 4.18 Psal 133.2 runs down from
Many there are then who bear the name of Christians ay and of Catholicks too who yet are in Christ John 15.2 6 but as withered branches in the Vine yea they are in the Church as Wens in the Body not in a vital and internal communion but in a formal and external profession Thus speaking of the Authors of Heresie and Heads of Faction which separated themselves from the communion of the Church They went out from us says the Apostle but they were not of us 1 John 2.19 for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us They went out from us as to the external and accidental form of the Church as it is the visible company of Professors but they were not of us as to the internal and essential form of the Church as it is the invisible Body of Christ Very fitly then is the visible Church compared in Scripture unto a field in which there grows up together Wheat and Tares Matth. 13.29 30. Matth 3.12 Matth. 13 47. to a floor on which there lies together Corn and Chaff to a draw not in which are contained good Fish and bad for that in the Church as it is visible there are Hypocrites mixt with true Believers the wicked with the godly And therefore the Apostle compares the visible Church to a great house 2 Tim. 2.20 where there are not onely Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth yea Some to honor and some to dishonor Thus in the visible Church there are not onely strong Believers but also weak Christians not onely those who are more eminent in the gifts and graces of the Spirit but also those who are weaklings and of less spiritual abilities then others Yea further as there are some to honor that is some who through the Election of Grace shall at last inherit eternal glory so some to dishonor Rom. 2.5 that is some who through their impenitence and hardness of heart treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and shall be plunged in eternal misery And thus ye have seen in its several particulars What the Church is of which Christ is said to be the Head 3. How the Church of which Christ is the Head is said to be a Body viz. Especially from the communion of the faithful as Members Eph. 4.4 a communion so near that they are all said to have but one Spirit Acts 4.32 yea one heart and one soul and all this from the efficacy of love Col. 3.14 that bond of perfectness and knot of unity A Sacramental representation of this Mystical Communion 1 Cor 10.17 is given us in the holy Eucharist according to that of the Apostle We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread That Bread which exhibites to us the flesh of Christ our quickning and enlivening Food Food not which we convert by any carnal digestion into the nature of our body but which converts us by a spiritual operation into the nature of Christs Body making us to be heavenly and spiritual as he is spiritual and heavenly We change not it but it changeth us for so is the powerful operation of spiritual Food to convert into the nature of its self action still following the stronger force and spirituals are more powerful then corporals grace more active then nature By vertue of this communion of the Faithful the Church is said to be Corpus compactum connexum Eph. 4.16 a Body fitly joyned together and compacted no rents of Schism but every member hath its proper place Vers 13. and its peculiar connexion in the whole and this Till we all meet in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Unto a perfect man this does intimate the near and full communion of Christs Church all the Faithful being as one political person in Christ Gal. 3.28 according to that There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus and it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one Body but one Person Now to grow up to a perfect man according to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ is the increase of the Church till consummate in its communion of Members and fulness of perfection which shall be at the last day when the whole number of the Elect is gathered and so Christ in the Church and the Church in Christ have mutually their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their compleat growth like that of the Head in the Body and the Body in the Head and all in one political person and perfect man To close then such is the communion of the Faithful one with another as Members and all in Christ as their Head that he who by Schism separates from the Church though never so seeming a Saint he cuts himself off from Christ and in the prosecution of this separation though he should zealously give up his life unto death his goods unto the spoil his body unto the fire 1 Cor. 13.2 3. yet all this would not be fidei corona Cypr. de Unit Eccles n. 12. but paena perfidia as St. Cyprian speaks not a crown of Faith but a punishment of unfaithfulness the suffering not of a Martyr but of a Malefactor For let the cause be what it will to die in Schism without the Pale of the Church is to perish in sin without the Gate of Heaven Indeed as the Branch withers which is broken off from the Root the River dries up which is cut off from the Fountain so the Soul shall perish which is divided from Christ And that Soul is certainly divided from Christ the Head which separates from the Church which is his Body His Body in a communion of the faithful as Members Here it will be a seasonable service to resolve you these four Questions 1. Whether the Church of Christ on Earth may totally fall away 2. What is meant by that common saying That out of the Church there is no Salvation 3. What have we to answer those who say We have no Church 4. Seeing we are to hold communion with the Church how may we know which is a true Church with which we may hold communion First Whether the Church of Christ on Earth may totally fall Quest 1 away We see in the World such a general defection from truth and holiness that some may haply propose this Question as well worthy our present resolution Indeed Polutheism a worshipping many gods hath ever been an argument for Atheism a not worshipping any God And in these our days whilst men see so many
pretences deceive you to a destroying that soul for which Christ died 2. Accept you this necessary Exhortation To bring your tender Infants your dear Babes unto Christ Dedicate them to him in Baptism Eph. 2 3. thereby to secure their safety and your comfort For being by nature children of disobedience and of wrath what greater need then to be given up unto him the Author of life and grace His all-sufficiency will answer their necessity though not in their apprehending him yet in his comprehending them Are not your children your greatest wealth then fittest sure to be returned unto God that gave them and they will not be any whit the less yours by being his no but they become more your blessing in being dedicated unto Gods service But what Beloved hath the Church dedicated your children unto God and do you tutour them for the Devil Are they in a state of salvation whilst Infants and do you oh do you bring them into a state of damnation when adult Your selves being Precedents of evil you infect their tender years with your exemplary impieties which they suck in by imitation There is certainly not a greater reverence due to any age then that of Childhood how is it then that you not only prompt them to be evil by your example but also encourage them by your approbation whilst their obscenities lyings and other evil speeches and actions you do risu osculis excipere Quintil. Instit entertain them with laughter and delight with kisses and embraces By which means it is that many otherwise ingenuous children vitia miseri discunt priusquam vitia esse sciant they poor wretches learn vices before they know them to be such But know this Nursery of young Plants must be weeded and watered Isa 61.3 if we expect they should become Trees of righteousness If we will have our children Christs disciples we must betimes instruct them in the first principles of faith make them to know what they were by nature and what they are by grace that love unto God and unto Christ may be stampt upon their souls before malice creep into their hearts Let them whilst innocent learn to be religious and when they know what was undertaken for them in their names at Baptism bring them to Episcopal hands for Confirmation and after that take care for their further education in divine knowledge as well as humane literature that they may be receiv'd into the full communion of the Church in being admitted to the consummating Ordinance of Christ the blessed Eucharist And thus you performing the duties of Religion to your children they shall become dutiful in their obedience unto you unto the Church and unto God And hereby you parents shall be blessed in your children and your children blessed in their parents and all blessed in him who is the Fountain of all blessings Christ Jesus blessed for ever 3. Be mindful of this serious Caution To beware of apostatizing from Christ to whom we gave up our selves by vow and covenant in Baptism Who art thou O man who hast now the vows of God upon thee that sacred and solemn vow of Baptism Know in that thou didst give up thy self unto God and Christ Ps 56.12 with an abrenuncio to the Devil the World and the Flesh And therefore now after this Baptismal abrenunciation of sin and Satan this Federal consecration unto God and Christ to fulfill the lusts of the flesh to walk in the course of the world and to do the works of the Devil oh how how shall it lie as an heavy aggravation of guilt upon thy soul pressing it down into the torture and without timely repentance into the desperation of hell Yea consider consider O man how this thy Apostacie doth expose thee to the insultation of Satan at the last day As S. Augustine brings in the Devil pleading against the Apostate Christian which breaks the vow and covenant of his baptism Thus saith Satan to the Lord Christ against the Apostate Christian AEquissime Judex judica quod aquum est Most just Judge judge what is right judge him to be mine who refused to be thine even after he had renounced me in Baptism Ut quid invasit pannos meos What had he to do to wear my livery What had he to do with gluttony drunkenness pride malice envy heresie sacriledge and the rest of mine infernal ware Haec omnia mea post renunciationem invasit All this my merchandise he hath traded for even after he had renounced all commerce with me Meus esse voluit mea concupivit It was his own will to be my servant his own lust to be my vassal Judge therefore righteous judgment quoniam quem tu non dedignatus es tanto pretio liberare ipse mihi postmodum voluit obligare because he whom thou hadst redeem'd to be thine by so great a price of blood hath revolted from thee to be mine in so great a guilt of Apostacie Consider oh consider how this plea of Satan shall be thy confusion of face and horror of soul Be convinc'd then O man whosoever thou art that quittest the covenant of thy God be convinc'd that by thy Apostacie thou dost enter covenant with the Devil in quitting the service of Christ the Prince of light thou art enslav'd to Satan the Prince of darkness And now set these together Satan and Christ darkness and light The covenant of Satan a covenant of sin and death of bondage and corruption of damnation and hell The covenant of Christ a covenant of righteousness and life of liberty and glory of holiness and of happiness all which Christ the Mediator hath purchased by his sufferings proclaimed in his Gospel and sealed by his Sacrament Wherefore then O man let this this one consideration more sink deep into thy heart Even what shame and confusion shall cover thy face what dread and horror shall seise thy soul when at the last day Satan shall thus plead against thee before Christs tribunal saying As for this wicked person and wilful Apostate I never created him nor redeemed him and that himself well knew I never suffered buffetings or scourgings for his sake I was never crucified or slain for his sin I never promised heaven and the fellowship of the blessed upon his obedience And yet O Christ he hath obeyed me and hath contemned thee and this after he had covenanted to be thine even covenanted in the sight of those Angels which now stand in thy presence and can give testimony to this truth Who art thou upon whose guilty soul this Satans plea takes firm impression Remember O remember thy vow in Baptism when thou didst oblige thy self by covenant to be the faithful soldier and servant of Jesus Christ And remembring this fight no longer under Satans colours Heresie Schism and Profaneness but betake thy self by faith and repentance to the Captain of thy salvation Heb. 2.10 Christ Jesus and so in the sincere profession of
truth and holiness thou shalt recover the favour of thy God and renew thy communion with Christ a communion of grace and life conveyed and seal'd thee in thy Baptism Concerning which our Lord and Saviour gave in commission and instruction to his Apostles and in them to all the Ministers of his Gospel Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THE FIFTH SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you GOD as he is Alpha so is he Omega too Introduction as he is the efficient so is he the final cause of all his Creatures especially of Angels and Men Rev. 1.11 endued with Understanding and Will who as they issue from God the product of his power so do they return to God the complement of their happiness And therefore whilst the Soul of Man winged with desires hovers over the surface of this Worlds changes like Noahs Dove Gen. 8.9 it findes no footing till it center its restless motions upon this sure Ark of the Almighties fruition But now what is the way which leads to his rest what the path of truth which conducts us safe to the Lord of Life whilst we all stand under one starry roof as Men as Christians our desires tend to the same Heaven yet we seek not to ascend by the same Ladder we all aim at the same Goal yet run not all in the same race In this we agree That God is our rest that happiness is our end yea that truth is the way and Christ is the Truth John 14.6 Yet when we come to the profession of the Truth and Faith of Christ how do we presently part hands and dividing our selves into several Sects we chuse to our selves several paths and all pretend the right way Now what is the reason of all our distraction and division but this That what God hath joyned men put asunder even the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Church Both which are established by Christ in the Commission and Instruction he here gives his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Having done with the former part of our Saviours Instruction the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our admitting into the School and Church of Christ by Baptism we proceed to the latter part the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our tutoring and training up by Doctrine which doctrine is prescribed as to the extent of its object to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded Here then as the subject matter of our ensuing discourse we will insist upon these two particulars First The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught Secondly The means of communicating this object and preaching this Word the Ministry of the Church by which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded Explic. 1. The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught That there is a natural Theology we willingly acknowledge but that there can possibly be any natural Christianity we utterly deny and therefore that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 that which may be known of God in the visible things of the world it is not his infinite grace and love as a Redeemer but hi◠eternal power and Godhead as a Creator True it is then that a natural knowledge will serve us to understand the Creatures Dialect which loudly and plainly speaks the presence and power of a Deity but Psal 29 2. how to worship this Deity in a beauty of Holiness and so enjoy him in a communion of love must needs be the dictate of a supernatural Revelation especially and eminently called the Word of God Which Word of God the word of life and grace hath been delivered to the Church by the mouth of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles registred and recorded in the several Books of the sacred Scriptures both of the Old Testament and of the New The Books of the Old Testament we receive transmitted to us from the Jews by an especial providence and divine appointment made faithful Registers and Bibliothists to the Christian Church for unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 But now under the New Testament Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in different measures of light and divers manners of revelation spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days in which the Church shall receive no more alteration or innovation from God as to the general form of his Worship and Truth but after this state follows eternity even in these last days God hath spoken unto us by his Son who being the onely begotten in the Bosom of the Father John 1.18 that is most intimately one with him not in a meer conjunction of love but in a near union of Nature and communion of Attributes he hath declared yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath by divine Revelation expounded the Mysteries of the Godhead in his Communications of Grace unto his Church The Service then of God in the Old Testament Heb 9.1 that of the first Tabernacle and worldly Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary earthly and material this did stand in meats and drinks Vers 10. and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid as a burden upon the Jews till the times of the New Testament the time of Reformation the coming of the Messiah who should reform the Ecclesiastical state by abolishing what was earthly and carnal and by establishing what is heavenly and spiritual So that now Joh. 4.24 now God being a Spirit they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth in Spirit that 's in opposition to the carnal Ordinances and in Truth that 's in opposition to the typical Sacrifices or in Spirit for the purity and in Truth for the sincerity of his Worship which must neither be Superstitious nor Hypocritical Having then shewed you where it is that we have the Word of God even in the Books of sacred Scriptures I shall proceed to describe this Word unto you in its inherent Attributes and its transient operations 1. In its inherent Attributes especially its full sufficiency and its self authority 1. It s full sufficiency The holy Scriptures they are the heavenly store-house from whence the Church of Christ is furnished with all spiritual provision of heavenly Doctrine whether it be of Faith or of manners They are the full treasury in which are laid up for the Church her inestimable riches of divine Promises and spiritual Blessings Profitable they are First