living God because God dwelleth remaineth in our souls our souls in our bodies our bodies in the Church the Church in the world There are many other reasons of this appellation but the Apostle dwelleth most upon this of dwelling Where God dwelleth there is his Temple but he dwelleth in our hearts by faith we are therefore his Temple If exception bee made to this reason that dwelling proveth a House but not a Temple l Cal. in hunc locum De homine si dicatur hic habitat non erit protinus templum sed domus prophana sed in Deo hoc speciale est quod quemcunque locum suâ dignatur praesentiâ eum sanctificat Calvin answereth acutely that if wee speake of the habitation of a man wee cannot from thence conclude that the place where he abideth is a Temple but God hath this priviledge that his presence maketh the place wheresoever hee resideth necessarily a Temple Whereas the King lyeth there is the Court and where God abideth there is the Church It might bee sayd as truly of the stable where Christ lay as of the place where God appeared to Jacob This is the house of God and the gate of heaven Here I cannot but breake out into admiration with Solomon and say m 1 Kin. 8.27 The heaven of heavens cannot containe thee O Lord and wilt thou dwell in my house in the narrow roome of my heart Isocrates answered well for a Philosopher to that great question What is the greatest thing in the least n Isoc ad Dem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The minde said hee in mans body But Saint Paul teacheth us to give a better answer to wit God in mans soule And how fitly hee tearmeth here believers the Temple of God will appeare most evidently by paralleling the inward and outward Temple of God the Church and the soule 1 First Churches are places exempt from legall tenures and services and redeemed from common uses in like manner the minde of the faithfull and devout Christian is after a sort sequestred from the world and wholly dedicated to God 2 Secondly Temples are hallowed places not by censing or crossing or burning tapers or healing it over with ashes and drawing the characters of the Greeke and Hebrew Alphabet after the manner of popish consecration but by the o Joh. 17.17 Word and Prayer by which the faithfull are also consecrated Sanctifie them O Lord with thy truth thy Word is truth 3 Thirdly Temples are places of refuge and safety and where more safety than in the houshold of faith God spared the City for the Temples sake and hee spareth the whole world for the Elects sake 4 Fourthly the Temple continually sounded with vocall and instrumentall musicke there was continuall joy singing and praising God and doth not the Apostle teach us that there is p Eph. 5.19 joy in the holy Ghost and continuall melody in the hearts of beleevers 5. Fiftly in the Temple God was to bee q Phil 3.3 worshipped and Christ teacheth that the true r John 4.24 worshippers of God worship him in spirit and in truth and Saint Paul commandeth us to ſ 1 Cor. 6.20 worship and glorifie God in our body and spirit which are his 6. Sixtly doe not our feet in some sort resemble the foundation our legges the pillars our sides the walls our mouth the doore our eyes the windowes our head the roofe of a Temple Is not our body an embleme of the body of the Church and our soule of the queere or chancell wherein God is or should be worshipped day and night The Temple of God is not lime sand stone or timber saith t Lact. divin instit l. 5. c. 8. Templum Dei non sunt ligna lapides sed homo qui Dei figuram gestat quod Templum non auro gemmarum donis sed virtutum muneribus ornatur Lactantius but man bearing the image of God and this Temple is not adorned with gold or silver but with divine vertues and graces If this be a true definition of a Temple and description of the Ornaments thereof they are certainly much to be blamed who make no reckoning of the spirituall Temple of God in comparison of the materiall who spare for no cost in imbellishing their Churches and take little care for beautifying their soules Hoc oportet facere illud non omittere they doe well in doing the one but very ill in not doing the other It will little make for the glory of their Church to paint their rood-lofts to engrave their pillars to carve their timber to gild their altars to set forth their crosses with jewells and precious stones if they want that precious pearle which the rich Merchant man sold all that hee had to buy to have golden miters golden vessels Mat. 13.46 golden shrines golden bells golden snuffers and snuffe-dishes if as Boniface of Mentz long agoe complained Their Priests are but wooden or leaden Saint u Amb. Auro non placent quae auro non emuntur Jnven sat 11. Fictilis nullo violatus Jupiter auro Ambrose saith expresly That those things please not God in or with gold which can bee bought with no gold In which words hee doth not simply condemne the use of gold or silver in the service of God no more than Saint x 1 Pet. 3.3 Peter doth in the attire of godly Matrons Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparrell but let it be in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price but he Lactantius both speak comparatively and their meaning is that the chief adorning of Churches is not with the beauty of colours but of holinesse not with the lustre of pearles and precious stones but with the shining of good workes not with candles and tapers but with the light of the Word not with sweet perfumes but with a savour of life unto life It will bee to little purpose to sticke up waxe lights in great abundance in their Churches after they have put out the pure light of Gods Word or hid it as it were under a bushell in an unknowne tongue Rhenamus reporteth that hee saw at Mentz two Cranes standing in silver into the belly whereof the Priests by a device put fire and frankincense so artificially that all the smoake and sweet perfume came out at the Cranes beakes A perfect embleme of the peoples devotion in the Romish Church the Priests put a little fire into them they have little warmth of themselves or sense of true zeale and as those Cranes sent out sweet perfumes out at their beaks having no smelling at all thereof themselves so these breath out the sweet incense of zealous praiers and thanksgiving whereof they have no sense or understanding at all because they pray in an unknowne tongue And so from the
And the Musicians will tell us that some discords in a lesson binding wise as they speake and falling into a concord much grace the musicke 2. Secondly wee wish that all Magistrates Ecclesiasticall and Civill would first make proofe of gentler remedies and seeke rather to winne men by perswasions than draw them to Church by compulsion Monendo potiùs quà m minando verbis magis quà m verberibus to use rather commonitions than comminations words than blowes discourses than legall courses arguments than torments 3. Thirdly in making and executing penall Statutes against Heretickes and Idolaters all Christian Princes and States must wash their hands from bloud and free themselves from all aspersion of cruelty For no fish will come into the net which they see all bloudy and they who are too quick in plucking at those that differ from them in Religion root up those oft-times for tares which if they had been permitted longer to grow might have proved good corne 4. Fourthly they must put a great difference between those that are infected with Hereticall opinions whereof some are ring-leaders some are followers some are obstinate others flexible some are turbulent others peaceable on some they ought to have g Jude 22 23. compassion making a difference and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire 5. Lastly nothing must be done herein by the intemperate zeale of the heady multitude or any private motion but after mature advice and deliberation be appointed by lawfull authority To the particular instances brought from our neighbour Nations that are repugnant to this rule wee answer with Saint h Serm. 66. in Cant. Approbamus zelum factum non laudamus Bernard Wee approve their zeale yet wee allow not of their proceedings These cautions observed that religions differing in fundamentall grounds are not to be tolerated in the same Kingdome we prove 1. First by the Law of i Deut. 22.10 11. Moses which forbiddeth plowing with an Oxe and an Asse together or to weare a garment of divers sorts as of woollen and linnen together The morall of which Law according to the interpretation of the best Expositors hath a reference to diversities in Religions and making a kinde of medley of divers worships of God 2. Secondly by the grievous punishment of Idolaters appointed by God himself k Deut. 13.6 8 9. If thy brother or son of thy mother or thine own son or thy daughter or the wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine own soule entice thee secretly saying Let us goe and serve other gods thine eye shall not pity him neither shalt thou keep him secret but thine hand shall be upon him and then the hand of all the people to stone him to death Solùm pietatis genus est hic esse crudelem It is piety in this kinde to shew no pity It is not in the power of Kings and Princes to reverse the decrees of Almighty God or falsifie his Oracles who saith No l Matth. 6.24 man can serve two masters For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what m 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 3. Thirdly if these testimonies of everlasting truth perswade us not that God who is truth must be worshipped in truth and not with lyes and in a false manner yet Christ his inditing the Angel of Thyatira for suffering Jezebel and the Angel of Pergamus for not silencing false Teachers I have a few things against thee saith the Spirit that thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Baalam The Spirit chargeth not the Angel with allowing or countenancing but tolerating only false doctrine Therefore the toleration of Heresie and Idolatry is a sinne which God will not tolerate in a Magistrate which I further thus demonstrate 4. Fourthly God will not hold any Prince or State guiltlesse which permitteth a pollution of his name but the worship of a false god or the false worship of the true God is a pollution of his name as himselfe declareth n Ezek. 20.39 Pollute my name no more with your gifts and your Idols God is a jealous God and will endure no corrivall if wee divide our heart between him and any other hee will cut us off from the land of the living as hee threatneth I o Zeph. 1.5 will cut off the remnant of Baal and them that worship the host of Heaven upon the house tops and them that worship and sweare by the Lord and by Malcham 5. Fifthly what shall I adde hereunto save this that the bare permission of Idolatry was such a blurre to Solomon and most of the succeeding Kings of Juda that it obscured the lustre and marred the glosse of all their other Princely endowments For after the description of their vertues this blot is cast upon their reputation But the high p 1 Kin. 15.14 places were not taken away But thrice happy q 2 Kin. 18.4 Hezekiah who by demolishing the brasen Serpent which Moses had made because the children of Israel burned incense to it erected to himselfe an everlasting monument of praise And yet more happy r 2 Kin. 23.25 Josiah after whom the Holy Ghost sendeth this testimony Like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like unto him Why what eminent vertues had Josiah above others what noble acts did he which the Spirit values at so high a rate no other than those which we find recounted in the books of Kings and Chronicles Hee brake downe the Altars of Baalim and cut downe the Images that were on high upon them hee brake also the groves and the carved Images and the molten ſ 2 Chron. 34.4 5. Images and stamped them to powder and strewed it upon the graves of them that sacrificed to them and hee burned the bones of the Priests upon the Altar He defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man might make t 2 Kin. 23.10 11 12 13. his sonne or his daughter passe through the fire to Moloch and he took away the horses that the Kings of Judah had given to the Sun and the Altars that were on the top of the upper chambers of Ahaz the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the house of the Lord and the high places that were before Jerusalem which Solomon had builded and so he tooke away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel and u 2 Chro. 34.33 compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God 6. Sixthly farther to teach Magistrates that they ought sometimes to use violent and
setteth them r Aug. serm de Pent. Tanquam duodecim radii solis seu totidem lampades veritatis totum mundum illuminantes forth twelve beames of the sunne of righteousnesse or twelve great torches of the truth enlightening the whole world They were as the twelve Patriarks of the new Testament to be consecrated as oecumenicall Pastours throughout all the earth they were as the ſ Exod. 15.27 twelve Wels of water in Elim from whence the chrystall streames of the water of life were to be derived into all parts they were as the twelve t Apoc. 12.1 starres in the crowne of the woman which was cloathed with the sunne and the moone under her feet and as the twelve u Apoc. 21.14 pretious stones in the foundation of the celestiall Jerusalem The present assembly in this upper roome was no other than a sacred Synod and in truth there can be no Synod where the Apostles or their successours are not present and Presidents For all assemblies how great soever of Lay-persons called together about ordering ecclesiasticall affaires without Bishops and Pastours are like to Polyphemus his vast body without an eye Monstrum horrendum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum But when the Apostles and their successours Bishops and Prelates and Doctours of the Church are assembled and all are of one accord and bend their endevours one way to settle peace and define truth Christ will make good his promise to be in the * Matt. 18.20 When two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them And middest of them and by his spirit to lead them into x John 16.13 When the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth all truth With one accord All the ancient and later Interpreters accord in their note upon the word accord that Animorum unio concordia est optima dispositio ad recipiendum Spiritum sanctum that Unitie and concord is the best disposition of the minde preparation for the receiving of the holy Ghost The bones in Ezekiel were y Ezek. 37.7 8. joyned one to another and tyed with sinewes before the wind blew upon them and revived them so the members of Christ must bee joyned in love and coupled with the sinewes of charitable affections one towards another before the holy Spirit will enlive them Marke saith S. z Serm. de Temp. Membrum amputatum non sequitur spiritus cùm in corpore erat vivebat precisum amittit spiritum Austine in the naturall body how if a member bee cut off the soule presently leaveth it while it was united to the rest of the members it lived but as soone as ever it was severed it became a dead peece of flesh so it is in the mysticall body of Christ those who sever themselves by schisme or faction from the body and their fellow-members deprive themselves of the influence of the holy Spirit Peruse the records of the Church and you shall finde for the most part that faction hath bred heresie When discontented Church-men of eminent parts sided against their Bishops and Superiours Gods spirit left them and they became authours of damnable heresies This was Novatus his case after hee made a faction against Cyprian Donatus after hee made a faction against Meltiades Aerius after hee made a schisme against Eustatius and doe we not see it daily in our Separatists who no sooner leave our Church but the spirit of God quite leaveth them and they fall from Brownisme to Anabaptisme from Anabaptisme to Familisme and into what not The Church and Common-wealth like the * Plin. l. 2. nat hist c. 105. Lapis Tyrrhenus grandis innatat comminutus mergitur Lapis Tyrrhenus while they are whole swimme in all waters but if they be broken into factions or crumbled into sects schismes they will soone sinke if not drowne And so I passe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their unanimitie of affection to their concurrence in place In one place The last circumstance is the place which was an upper chamber in Jerusalem The Apostles and Disciples stayed at Jerusalem after the ascension of our Lord partly in obedience to his a Acts 1.4 command which was not to depart out of Jerusalem till they were indued with power from above partly to fulfill the prophecie the b Esay 2.3 Law shall goe out of Sion and the word of God out of Jerusalem They kept all together out of love and for more safetie and they tooke an upper chamber that they might bee more private and retired or because in regard of the great confluence of people at this feast they could not hire the whole house or as Bernardinus conceiveth to teach us that the spirit of c Com. in Act. Ut discamus quod datur spiritus iis qui se ab imis attollunt rerū sublimium contemplatione ut cibo se oblectant God is given to such as raise up themselves from the earth and give themselves to the contemplation of high and heavenly mysteries Now to descend from this higher chamber and to come neare to you by some application of this text It will be to little purpose to heare of the Apostles preparation this day if wee prepare not our selves accordingly to discourse of their entertainment and receiving the holy Spirit if wee receive him not into our hearts It is a mockerie as Fulgentius hath it Ejus diem celebrare cujus lucem oderimus To keepe the day of the Spirit if wee hate his light If wee desire to celebrate the feast of the Spirit and by his grace worthily receive the Sacrament of Christ his flesh wee must imitate the Apostles and Disciples in each circumstance 1. Rely upon Gods promises by a lively faith of sending the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts and patiently expect the accomplishment of it many dayes as they did 2. Ascend into an upper chamber that is remove our selves as farre as wee can from the earth and set our affections upon those things that are above 3. Meet in one place that is the Church to frequent the house of God and when we are bid not to make excuses but to present our selves at the Lords boord 4. Not onely meet in one place but as the Apostles did with one accord to reconcile all differences among our selves and to purge out all gall of malice and in an holy sympathy of devotion to joyne sighs with sighs and hearts with hearts and hands with hands and lifting up all together with one accord sing Come holy Ghost so as this day is Pentecost in like manner this place shall be as the upper roome where they were assembled and we as the Apostles and Disciples and the Word which hath now beene preached unto us as the sound of that mightie rushing wind which filled that roome and after wee have worthily celebrated the feast of the Spirit and administred the
their body than any article of their creede whereas on the contrary side the Romanists as they impeach the article of Christs incarnation of the Virgin Mary by teaching that his flesh is made daily by the Priests in the Masse not of her blood but of bread and of his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the Father till hee come to judge the quicke and the dead by teaching that his body is at once in a Million of places on earth even wheresoever Masses are said so they most manifestly overthrow the articles he instanceth in viz. 1 The ninth tenth The ninth by turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universall into particular and empaling the whole Church within the jurisdiction of Rome as the Donatists did of old within the Provinces of Africa The tenth by branding them with the markes of heretickes who believe the remission of their owne sinnes by speciall faith 2 As the Cardinall is foulely mistaken in the point of divinity so also in the matter of history both of former ages and this present wherein wee live For who knoweth not that other articles besides the ninth and tenth are at this day oppugned by the Servetians Antitrinitarians Sosinians Vorstians Anabaptists Libertines and Familists whose heresies strike at the soveraigne attributes of God the Trinity of persons deity of Christ his incarnation satisfaction second comming and life everlasting 3 Neither were these two articles instanced in first impugned in our age or since the 1000. yeere as hee accounteth but long before in the third and fourth ages by the Novatians Donatists Luciferians Meletians and Pelagians 4 Neither was Sathan so long in setting heretickes on worke to undermine all the articles of the creede If you peruse the bedroll of heresies in Irenaeus Epiphanius Philastrius and Augustine you shall finde that within the space of 400. yeeres the Divell so bestirred himselfe that hee left no article of the Apostles creede untouched by them 5 And lastly neither had the enemy of mankinde any care at all of order in employing heretickes to overthrow our christian beliefe more than an enraged enemy all set upon spoile in demolishing an house thinketh of pulling downe every stone in order for to what end serveth order when nothing but present confusion is sought Therefore against the rule of method set downe by Bellarmine Sathan in the second age called in question the last article of the creed by Papius and the Millenaries In the third age hee called in question the eighth article concerning the holy Ghost by the Macedonians and Pneumatomachi In the first age hee called in question the second article concerning the divinity of Christ by the Ebionites and Cerinthians as also the eleventh by the Ephesians and those Corinthians whom the Apostle taketh to taske in this chapter and confuteth in my text Obser 2 My second observation from the occasion is that some heresies as namely this of the Corinthians concerning the resurrection against which the Apostle bendeth all his forces have beene very auncient and some heretickes contemporaries to the Apostles As God is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Dan. 7.13 that is Auncient of dayes or rather Auncient to dayes as God speaketh of himselfe e Esa 43.13 Before the day was I am so the Divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old Serpent whose spawne are all heresies as well old as new No truth at the first delivery thereof could bee auncient nor can any errour after it hath long passed from hand to hand bee new Time is without the essence of those things that are measured by it and consequently cannot make that which is in it selfe evill good nor that which is good evill Antiquity can no more prescribe for falshood than novelty prejudice the truth Bare antiquity therefore is but a weake plea in matter of religion f Tertul. de Vol. Virg. quodcunque contra veritatem sapit haeresis est etiam vetus consuetudo whatsoever savoureth not of truth or is against it is heresie yea although it be ancient and plead custome 1 It was the Samaritans plea against the Jewes g Joh. 4.20.22 Our Father worshipped in this mount c. But it was rejected by our Saviour saying you worship you know not what 2 It was the plea of the hereticks called Aquarii against the Catholicks but disproved by Saint h Ep. 74. Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas â—rroris Cyprian saying Custome without truth is no better than inveterate errour 3 It was the plea of Guitmundus against the practice of the Romane Church in Gregory the great his dayes but disparaged by him saying custome ought to give place to truth and right i Grat. dist 8. for Christ said not Ego sum consuetudo I am custome or prescription but Ego sum veritas I am truth Nay it was the very plea of the Paynims against the Christians and long agoe disabled by the ancient Fathers Saint Ignatius Arnobius Ambrose and Augustine Ignatius thus puts it by Some say they will not believe the truth of the Gospell if wee produce not ancient records for it to whom my answer is k Ignat. epist ad Philad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is my antiquity his words are to mee in stead or as good as all ancient records l Arnob. l. 2. cont gent. Quod verum est seâ—um non est c. Arnobius gravely determines the point the authority saith he of Religion is to be weighed not by time but by the divine author thereof that which is true is not to be traduced as late or too new Saint m Amb. l. 3. ep 30 Reprobatis messem quia sera est foecunditas c. Ambrose seconds Arnobius saying to the heathen doe you finde fault with our Christian religion because it is later than your heathenish superstition you may by the same reason picke a quarrell with harvest because it comes not till the end of summer and with the vintage because it falls late in the yeere and with the olive because hee beareth fruit after other trees Lastly Saint n Quaest vet novi Test Quasi antiquitas praejudicet veritati hic est mos diabolicus ut per antiquitatis traducem commendetur fallacia Austine returnes them a smart answer for this absurd plea They say that that religion which is elder cannot bee false as if antiquity or custome could doe the truth any prejudice at all 't is a divellish custome to vent falshood under the title of antiquity Whereunto may be added that in propriety of speech that is not antiquity which is so esteemed the age wherein wee live is indeed the eldest because nearest to the end of the world and those times which wee reverence as elder are by so much the younger by how much they were neerer to the beginning of the world and the birth of time it selfe The Catholike Christian Church was never so
some pastours and eminent professours to sow his field in future times and propagate Religion to posterity These may and ought to flie in time of persecution provided first that they flie not when their conscience perswadeth them that their flight will be a great scandall to Religion and a discouragement to the weaker and they feele in themselves a great and earnest desire to glorifie God by striving for his truth unto bloud For being thus called by God and enabled and encouraged they must preferre Gods glory before their life and a crowne of martyrdome before any earthly condition 2. That they leave not the Church destitute For Christ giveth it for one of the characters of an hireling to y John 10.13 flie when hee seeth the Wolfe comming and looke to his owne safety taking little care what becommeth of his flocke 3. They must not use any indirect meanes to flye they may not betray Gods truth or their brethren to save their owne life he that saveth his life upon such termes shall lose it and he that loseth his life in Gods cause shall finde it You will say peradventure how may this be I answer as that which is lost in Alpheus after a certaine time is undoubtedly found againe in Arethusa so that which is lost on earth shall be found in Heaven Hee that loseth his life for Christs sake in this vale of teares shall finde it at the last day in the z Psal 16.11 river of pleasures springing at the right hand of God for evermore When the Starres set here they rise in the other hemisphere so when Confessours and Martyrs set here they rise in heaven and shall never set againe Therefore as Christ spake of Virginity wee may say of Martyrdome what he spake of the garland of white roses we may of the garland of red Qui potest capere capiat Hee that is able to receive it let him receive it he that is not able let him trace the footsteps of the woman here that fled Into the wildernesse Not by change of place saith a In Apoc. c. 12. Fugit non mutatione loci sed amissione status ornatus Pareus but change of state and condition I see no reason of such a restraint the Church may and sometimes doth flye two manner of wayes 1. Openly when being persecuted in one country shee posteth into another 2. Secretly when shee abideth where shee was but keepeth her selfe close and shunneth the eye of the world and worshippeth God in secret mourning for the abominations and publike prophanations of true Religion Thus then wee may expound the words the woman fled into the wildernesse that is she withdrew her selfe from publike view kept her exercises of Religion in private held her meetings in cryptis hidden places as vaults under ground b Heb. 11 38. They wandred in deserts mountaines and dens and caves of the earth dens and caves in the earth or if persecution raged above measure and without end removed from country to country and from city to wildernesse for safety By wildernesse some learned Expositors understand remote countries inhabited by Paynims and Gentiles where yet the fire of persecution is not kindled For say they though such places be never so well peopled yet they may be termed deserts because never manured by Gods husbandry never sown with the seed of the Word never set with plants of Paradise never watered with the dew of heavenly grace And if the Church had not removed into such wildernesses she had never visited us in England severed after a sort from the whole world Toto divisos Orbe Britannos But such hath beene Gods goodnesse to these Ilands that the woman in my text was carried with her c Ver. 14. And to the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle Eagles wings into these parts before the Roman Eagles were brought in here our Countrey submitted it selfe to the Crosse of Christ before it stooped to the Roman scepter Howbeit I take not this to be the meaning of this Scripture For the propagation of the Church and the extending her bounds to the remotest regions of the world maketh her catholike and by it she becommeth glorious whereas the Spirit speaketh here of her as in some eclipse The wildernesse therefore here meant must needes be some obscure place or region to which she fled to hide her selfe If you demand particularly when this prophecy was fulfilled I answer partly in those Hebrewes of whom St. Paul writeth that they lay in wildernesses and dennes and caves of the earth partly in those Disciples that were in Jerusalem in the time of the siege and a little before who mindfull of our Saviours commandement fled into the mountaines and were miraculously preserved in Pella as Eusebius writeth partly in those Christians who in the dayes of Maximinus and Dioclesian fled so farre that they never returned backe againe into any City but were the fathers of them that live in woods and desarts as Hermites or inclosed within foure walls as Recluses and Anchorites partly in those Orthodoxe beleevers who in the reigne of the Arrian Emperours tooke desarts and caves under ground for sanctuary of whom St. Hilarie writeth saying d L. adver Auxent Ecclesia potius delituit in cavernis quam in primariis Urbibus eminebat The Church rather lurked in holes and vaults under ground in those dayes than shewed her selfe openly in the chiefe Cities partly in those professours of the Gospell who ever since the man of sinne was revealed have beene by him put to great streights and driven to lie hid for many yeeres in solitary and obscure places in all which persecutions of the Church God prepared for her not only a place to lodge in but a table also that they should Feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Some referring this prophesie to the Jewes abode in Pella find the time to be precisely three yeeres and an halfe others by dayes understanding yeeres reckon from the declining age of Constantine till the great reformation in our age neere upon a thousand two hundred and threescore yeeres in all which time the true Church hath played least in sight and beene in a maner buried in oblivion But neither is this calculation exact neither as I conceive doth St. John speake of one flight onely nor of any particular place nor definite number of yeeres but after the manner of Prophets putteth a definite number for an indefinite and foresheweth that the true Church must for a long time lie hid and withdraw her selfe out of the worlds eye as it is afterwards exprest a time times and halfe a time a time under the heathen Emperours times under severall Heretikes and last of all halfe a time in that last and greatest tribulation immediately before the utter overthrow of Antichrist For that e Mat. 24.22 persecution shall be shortened as our Saviour intimateth for the Elects sake lest all flesh should
of his discourse which was the promise of our Saviour I will ease you This indeed is Caput bonae spei the only Cape of good hope If these allusions seem defective and not so apposite as before I searched the land so now I will the sea for fitter and the fittest of all seem to mee to be these foure seas 1. Rubrum 2. Orientale 3. Mediterraneum 4. Pacificum The first because it ran all upon the bloudy passion of our Saviour I liken to the read sea The second I compare to the orientall Ocean not onely in respect of the immensity of matter in it depth of the authors judgment and rare pearles of wit and art but especially because Extulit Oceano caput aureus igniferum sol because out of this Easterne Ocean we saw the Sun of righteousnes Christ Jesus arising The third because it interveyned between the former the latter sea and passed through the whole continent in a manner of Divinity I call the Mediterranean or mid-land sea The fourth for the equall current of it but especially for the subject and matter resembleth mare del zur commonly called Pacificum for his whole discourse tended to this that though the life of a Christian be a sea yet that it is so calmed by Christs promise I will ease you that to every childe of God in the end it proves mare pacificum My peace I give unto you The still sea be not troubled nor feare Et si vultis accipere these judicious and methodicall Sermons foure in number are the foure rowes in Aarons breast-plate of judgement the jewels are their precious doctrines the imbossments of gold in which these jewels were set were their texts of Scripture Sed ubi spiritualis tabernaculi Å¿ Vincent Lerin advers haer Bezaliel qui pretiosas divini dogmatis gemmas exculperet fideliter adornaret sapienter adjiceret gratiam splendorem venustatem I know not how it comes to passe that as sometimes in Israel though there were much metall yet no Smith so at this time in this famous University though we have store of jewels yet there is none who will professe himself in this kind a Jeweller If the true reason hereof be the difficulty danger of this work wherein we fish as it were with a golden hook Cujus jactura nullâ piscium capturâ compensari potest then have all sorts of auditors great reason favourably to interpret their best endeavours who for their sake not only undertake so great a taske but hazzard so great a losse If the Rehearser acquit himself never so well what can he expect for all his pains but the bare commendation of a good memory but if he faile not only his memory but his judgement and discretion also are called in question In which consideration when authority first laid hands on mee I drew backe with all my might till the command for repeating being repeated againe and againe in the end the power of authority more prevailed with mee than the sense of mine owne infirmity Adamas ferrum à magnete tractum ad se rapit vehementiùs though the iron as Agricola observeth is drawn powerfully by the load-stone yet if a diamond be in place the load-stone loseth his force Artificiall memory as t Lib. 3. Rhet. ad Heren Constat artificiosa memoria ex locis imaginibus Cornificius saith consisteth of images and places We need not goe farre for them we have them both in my Text places Ver. 17. Thou shalt set it full of places for stones images most resplendent in the Verses following and very happy were I if as here I have the names so I had the naturall effects attributed to some of these jewels for 1. The Agat keepeth a man moist saith Dioscorides 2. The Beril sharpeneth the wit saith Ystella 3. The Carbuncle infuseth spirits saith Barraeus 4. The Chrysolite helpeth the breathing parts saith Rueus 5. The Emrald is good for the sight and memory saith Vincentius 6. The Onyx strengtheneth the whole body saith Albertus 7. The Saphir freeth a man from wrath and envie saith Tostatus but I perswade my self that many of these authors when they wrote these things had an Amethyst on their fingers the last jewell in the third row in Hebrew called ×”×ž×œ×—× from מלח u Buxtorf epit radic heb From a word signifying to dreame because they that weare it are much subject to dreaming Amethystus lapis pretiosus sic dictus quòd gestantibus eum somnia inducit and therefore leaving such incredulous relations to * Aben Ezra in Exod. 28.19 Rabbinicall and Philosophicall legends in a warrantable Scripture phrase I will pray to Almighty God to touch my tongue with a coale mentioned by the x Esay 6.6 7. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a coale in his hand and he laid it upon my tongue Prophet Esay which S. Jerome interpreteth a Carbuncle that I may enflame the hearts of this great assembly with a zeale of his glory and both now whensoever I am to speak to the edification of his people so to furnish mee with materialls and assist mee in laying them that upon the true foundation Christ Jesus I may build not hay and stubble but gold silver and precious stones such as shine in my Text which I divide according to the foure rowes into foure parts THE FIRST ROW And in the first row a Ruby a Topaze and an Emrald WHether the Ruby fit not the modesty of the Speaker the Topaze quae sola gemmarum limam sentit his limate and polished stile the Emrald the fresh and green verdour of his sentences I leave to your learned censures sure I am the green and ruddy stones some of them generated in the red sea lively set forth the green wounds and bloudy passion of the worlds Redeemer the subject of his discourse The Ruby hath a perfect colour of flesh whence it is called in Latine Carneolus but with a lustre and resplendency farre above the nature of flesh What fitter embleme of the rayes of divine majesty shining in the flesh of our Saviour which was the argument of the Preachers first part This Ruby nubeculâ quâdam offundebatur as the naturall to wit in his passion and then changed colour and resembled the other two gems death displaying its colours in his flesh which he suffered to pay the wages of sinne for us which was the scope of his latter observations The imbossment of gold in which these gems of divine doctrine were set was his Text taken out of JOHN 11.50 It is expedient for us that one man should dye for the people The first Sermon preached on Good-friday by Master Ozborstone Student of Christ-Church BEhold I bring you a prophesie but of no Prophet I present you lying malice speaking truth unwittingly unwillingly and savage cruelty providing a salve to cure the wounds of all mankind Out of one fountain bitter and sweet out of
We can pray to none other but God whatsoever is to be wished for Caesar as he is a man or a Prince I cannot begge it of any other than of him from whom I know I shall receive what I aske because he alone can performe it and I his servant depend upon none but him But what stand I upon the testimonies of two or three Fathers the whole Synod of f Theod. com in 2. ad Colos Synodus Laodicea lege prohibuit ne praecarentur Angelos ubi agit de oratoriis Michaelis eos perstringit qui dicebant oportere per Angelos divinam sibi benevolentiam conciliare Laodicea condemneth the superstitious errour of some who taught that we ought to use Angels as mediatours between God and us and to pray unto them And for Saints who have no more commission to solicit our busines in heaven than Angels howsoever it pleased the ancient Church to make honourable mention of them in their publike Service as we doe of the blessed Virgin the Archangel the Apostles Evangelists yet S. g Aug. l. 22. de civit Dei c. 10. Martyres suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen à Sacerdote qui sacrificat invocantur Austin cleareth the Christians of those times from any kind of invocation The Martyrs saith he in their place and ranke are named yet not called upon by the Priest who offereth the sacrifice Invocation is the highest branch of divine worship and they who bow downe to and call upon Saints consequently put Saints in Gods room beleeve in them Quomodo enim invocabunt in quos non credunt How h Rom. 10.14 shall they call on them on whom they have not beleeved They who call upon Saints deceased hope for any benefit by such prayers must be perswaded that the Saints are present in all places to heare their prayers and receive their petitions and that they understand particularly all their affaires and are privie to the very secrets of their hearts and is not this to make gods of Saints i Mart. epigr. Qui fingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus non facit ille deos qui rogat ille facit Yea but say our Romish adversaries had you a suit to the King you would make a friend at Court employ some in favour with his Majesty to solicit your affaires why take ye not the like course in your businesse of greater importance in the Court of Heaven We answer First because God himselfe checketh such carnall imaginations and overthroweth the ground of all such arguments by his holy Prophet saying k Esay 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies Therefore we are brought to the presence of kings saith S. l Amb. in ep ad Rom. c. 1. Itur ad reges per tribunos comites quia homo utique rex est ad Deum quem nihil latet promerendum suffragatore non est opus sed mente devotâ Ambrose by lords officers because the king is a man all cannot have immediate access unto him neither will he take it well that all sorts of people at all times should presse upon him but it is not so with God he calleth all m Mat. 11.28 Come unto mee all that labour c. unto him calls upon all to n Psal 50.15 Call upon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare c. call upon him promiseth help o Joel 2.32 Whosoever shall call upon the Name c. salvation to all that shall so do neither need we any spokes-man saith he to him save a devout and religious mind Secondly admit the proportion to hold between the King of Heaven and earthly Princes yet the reason holdeth not for if the King appoint a certain officer to take all supplications and exhibit all petitions unto him hee will not take it well if we use any other but so it is in our present case God hath appointed us a p John 14 3. Whatsoever ye shall aske in my Name â—hat will I doe Ver. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by mee Mediator not only of redemption but also of q Rom. 8.34 Which maketh request for us incercession who is not only r Hebr. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that comâ— unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them able but most willing to preferre all our suits procure a gracious answer for us for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin let us therfore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Wee know not whether Saints heare us or rather we know they heare us not Esay 63.16 Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not If they heare us we know not whether God will heare them for us but wee know that our Saviour heareth us and that God alwaies heareth him when he prayeth for us John 11.42 I know that thou hearest mee alwaies Yet our Saint-invocators have one refuge to flye unto and they hold it a very safe one We call upon the living say they to pray for us why may we not be so far indebted to the Saints departed who the further they are from us the neerer they are to God If it be no wrong to Christs intercession to desire the prayers of our friends in this life neither can it be any derogation to his Mediatourship to call upon Saints deceased Of this argument Å¿ Bellar de sanct beatit l. 1. c. 19. Bellarmine as much braggeth as Peleus of his sword Profectò istud argumentum haeretici nunquam solvere potuerunt the heretickes saith he were never able to untie this argument I beleeve him because there is no knot at all in it For First we do not properly invocate any man living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we call to them to assist us with their prayers we call not upon them as putting any confidence in them When at parting we usually coÌ„mend our selves to our friends and desire them to commend us to God in their prayers we require of them a duty of Christian charity we do them therein no honour much lesse performe any religious service to them as the Church of Rome doth to Saints deceased Secondly when wee pray them to pray for us wee make this request to them as co-adjutors to joyn with us in the duty of praier not as mediators to use their favour with God or plead their merits as Papists do in their Letanies adjuring God as it were by the faith of Confessors constancy of Martyrs chastity of virgins abstinence of monks merits of all Saints Thirdly God commandeth the living to have
faith and repentance unto life giveth charge to his Apostles and their successors to preach the Gospel unto every creature saying ſ Mar. 16.16 Whosoever beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved But here some cast a darke mist which hath caused many to lose their way How say they doe we maintaine that God desireth not the death of a sinner who before all time decreed death for sinne and sinne for death This mist in part is dispelled by distinguishing of three sorts of Gods decrees 1. There is an absolute decree and resolute purpose of God for those things which he determineth shall be 2. There is a decree of mandate or at least a warrant for those things which he desireth should be 3. There is a decree of permission for such things as if he powerfully stop them not will be Of the first kind of decree or will of God wee are to understand those words of the Psalmist Quaecunque voluit fecit Deus Whatsoever t Psal 135.6 God would that hath he done and of our Saviour Father u John 17.24 Rom. 9.19 Ephes 1.5 1 Tim. 2.4 I will that they also whom thou hast given mee be with mee where I am To the second we are to referre those words of the Apostle God would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth God would that all should come to * 2 Pet. 3.9 repentance and This is the will of God even your x 1 Thes 4.3 sanctification and y Rom. 12.2 Be yee not conformed to this present world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is the acceptable and perfect * John 7.17 will of God In the last acception the Apostle seemeth to take the word will in those words It is better if the z 1 Pet. 3.17 will of God bee so that yee suffer for well doing than for evill doing and Saint Austine where he maintaineth that even those things that are most repugnant to the Law of God and so directly against his revealed will are not besides his will but in some sort fall within the compasse of his decrees The * Encharid ad Laurent c. 100. Hoc ipso quod contra Dei voluntatem fecerunt de ipsis facta est voluntas ejus miro inestabile modo non fit praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam contra ejus voluntatem fit quia nec fieret nisi sineret nec utique nolens sed volens nec sineret bonus fieri male nisi omnipotens etiam de malo facere posset benè will of God is done by or upon them who seeme to crosse his will after a wonderfull and unspeakable manner that comes not to passe but by Gods will that is his secret decree which is done against his will that is his command For it could not be if he suffered it not neither doth he suffer it against his will but with his will neither would he who it good suffer evill to be but that by his omnipotency he can draw good out of evill The second distinction which much cleereth the point in question is of good things which may be sorted thus 1. Some are good formally good in themselves and by for selves as all divine graces and the salvation of the elect 2. Some things are good suppositively and consequently as warre is good not simply but when without it either the safety or the honour of the state cannot be preserved in like manner executions are nor good simply but upon presupposall of hainous crimes worthy of death in him that is executed especially for the terrour of others No man will say that it is simply good to launce or cut off a joynt yet is it good in case that otherwayes the sore cannot be healed or the sound parts preserved from a gangrene 3. Some things are good occasionally onely or by accident from whom some good may come or be made of them or out of them as treacle of poyson and wholsome pills of such ingredients as are enemies to nature If ye rightly apply these distinctions ye may without great difficulty loosen the knots above tyed the first whereof was whether God decreed sinne originall or actuall Ye may answer according to the former distinctions that he decreed effectually all the good that is joyned with it or may come by it or it may occasion but hee decreed permissively onely the a Al Monim Malum praescivit Deus non praedestinavit Anomy obliquity or malignity thereof he neither doth it nor approveth of it when it is done but only permitteth it and taketh advantage of it for the manifestation of his justice When Fulgentius denieth that God decreeth sinne and the b Concil Araus Ad malum divinâ potestate praedestinatos non modo non dicimus sed etiam siqui sint qui id affirmare ausint cum summâ execratione in eos anathema dicimus Arausican Councell thundereth out an anathema against any that dare maintaine such an impious assertion they are to bee understood of a decree of effecting or commanding or warranting it But when Calvin pleads hard for Adams fall to have not come to passe without a decree from God lest he should make God an idle spectatour of an event of so great consequence we are to interpret his words of a decree of permission of the event and disposing of the fall foreseen by him to the greater manifestation of his justice and mercy Ordinavit saith Junius id est statuit ordinem rei non rem ipsam decrevit To the second question which toucheth the apple of the eye of this Text whether God decreeth the death of any ye may answer briefly that he doth not decree it any way for it selfe as it is the destruction of his creature or a temporall or eternall torment thereof but as it is a manifestation of his justice Here I might take occasion as many doe to dispute divers intricate questions concerning the decrees of God especially of reprobation both absolute and comparative and the acts of it privative and positive whether it depend meerly upon the will of God or passe ex praevisis or propter praevisa peccata upon or for sinnes fore-seen originall or actuall as also concerning the object whether it be homo condendus conditus integer or lapsus whether man considered in fieri as clay or red earth in the hands of God out of which some vessels were to be made to honour some to dishonour or as created of God according to his image before his fall or as fallen in Adam tainted with originall sinne or lastly singular persons considered in the state of infidelity or impenitency and so dying sed b Scotus in 1. sent dist 41. nolo scrutari profundum ne eatur in profundum I will not approach too neere this deep whirle-poole lest with many through giddinesse of braine I fall into it For although I
true Howsoever what piety is it nay what equity nay rather what abominable iniquity and impiety is it florem Diabolo consecrare faeces Deo reservare To consecrate the flower of their youth to the Divell the world and the flesh and reserve the lees or dregges of their old age for God To dedicate to him our weake and feeble dotage if we live to it what is it better than to offer the f Deut. 15.21 blind and the lame for sacrifice which God abhorreth Repent therefore repentè repent at the first offer of grace Ye shall scarce find any precept of repentance in Scripture which requireth not as well that it be out of hand as that it be from the heart Remember thy g Eccles 12.1 Creatour in the dayes of thy youth To h Psal 95.7 8. day if yee will heare his voice harden not your heart Seek i Psal 32.6 the Lord while he may be found Now he may be found now he seeketh us now he calleth to us let us therefore breake off all delayes and pricke on forward our dull and slow affections with that sharp and poynant increpation of Saint k Confes l. 8. c. 5. Modò modò non habent modum quamdiu cras cras cur non hoc dic cur non hac horâ finis turpitudinis meae Ib. Verba lenta somnolenta modò ecce modò sine paululum sed sine paululum ibat in longum c. Austine Why doe I still procrastinate my comming unto thee O Lord Why not now why not this day why not this houre an end of my sinfull course of life Deo Patri Filio Spiritui sancto sit laus c. THE DEFORMITY OF HALTING THE LVII SERMON 1 KIN. 18.21 And Elijah came to all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him and the people answered not a word Right Honourable c. ELijah who sometimes called for fire from heaven was himselfe full of heavenly fire the fire of zeale for the Lord of Hosts His words like fire 1 Give light 2 Heate 3 Consume 1 They give light to this undoubted truth That one and but one Religion is to be embraced either God or Baal must be worshipped in no case both Stand firme to one How long halt ye betweene two 2 They heate and enflame true zeale and devotion If the Lord be God follow him 3 They burne up indifferencie and neutralitie If Baal be he goe after him This passage of Scripture relateth a Sermon of Elijah wherein we are to note more particularly 1 The Preacher Elijah 2 The Auditorie the whole Parliament of Israel 3 The Text or Theame handled by him viz. What God is to be worshipped what religion to be established and maintained by Prince and people Now although I perswade my selfe that there is none in this whole assembly who halteth betweene the Popish and reformed Churches or hath once bowed his knee to the Romish Baal yet because Satan hath of late not only turned himselfe into an Angell of light to dazle the eyes of weake Christians in point of Doctrine but also into a Seraphim of heat and zeale under colour of devotion to bring us to offer strange fire upon Gods Altar and especially because there is no lamp of the Sanctuarie that burneth so brightly but that it needeth oyle continually to be powred into it to feed the flame the opening of this Scripture cannot but be seasonable and usefull to reduce you into the path if you swerve from it never so little or to prick you on if you are in the right way that leadeth to the kingdome of God The key to open this Text is the occasion of this exhortation of the Prophet wherefore before I proceed to the exposition of the words I must entreat you to cast a looke backwards to the occasion of them and the cause of the peoples haulting downe-right a circumstance not giving more light to the right understanding of the Prophets reproofe than strength to our stedfast standing and upright walking in the high way to Heaven What the religious Father spake by way of Apologie for handling controversall points in the pulpit Ideo non dubitavimus dubitare ut vos non dubitaretis We therefore make no scruple to move doubts that yee may not doubt but upon the solution of them be more settled in your most holy faith I may say truly that therefore I hold it needfull to make a stay at the cause of the poeples haulting that their haulting may be no stay to your godly proceedings that you may never hault upon their ground which was so slipperie that they slid now this way now that way not able to set sure footing any where Elijah by his divine commission drew them to Gods Altar but Ahab especially at the instigation of Jezebel by his royall power enforced them to offer at Baals groves between both they were miserably perplexed their minds distracted and their worship divided betweene God and Baal Men are led by examples more than precepts especially by the examples of Princes or Potentates which carrie a kinde of Sovereigntie over mens affections and manners as they themselves have over their persons insomuch that their morall vices yea and naturall deformities also have beene drawne and patterned out by some of their subjects as if they were vertues and gracefull ornaments a Jan. Grut. annot in Tac. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodorus Siculus telleth us in sober sadnesse that it was the custome of the Aethiopians to maime or lame themselves in that part or foot on which their Prince limped because they thought it a great disparagement for their Prince that any about him should goe more upright or have a more gracefull gate than hee And Atheneus likewise reporteth of Dionysius his familiars that because himselfe was somewhat purblinde they as they sate at table reached towards dishes as it were by aime and sometimes missed that they might not seeme more quick-sighted than he And to make up the number when Philip received a wound in his eye Clisophus as if hee had got a blow on the same eye putteth a patch on it and when afterwards Philip was run thorow the right thigh in comes Clisophus all to be plaistered on that thigh and out-halteth his Master We can hardly hold laughing when we read or heare of the madnesse rather than folly of so grosse flatterie yet wee have cause rather to weepe at the sight of a farre worse flatterie and yet most usuall whereby some indeere themselves into great personages by imitating their vices and profane carriage To expresse these they account it a kinde of merit of favour or at least an homage due to their greatnesse because saith b Lactant. divin instit l. 5. c. 6. Et quoniam regis vitta imitari obsequii quoddam genus est abjecerunt omnes pietatem ne regi
accounts and cleere them a holy tenth of the yeere to be offered to him the sacred Eve and Vigils to the great feast of our Chrisâ—â—an passover Your humbling your bodies by watching and fasting your souâ—es by weeping and mourning your rending your hearts with sighes the resolving your eyes into teares your continuall prostration before the throne of grace offering up prayers with strong cryes are at this time not only kind fruits of your devotion speciall exercises of your mortification necessary parts of contrition but also testimonies of obedience to the Law and duties of conformity to Christs sufferings and of preparation to our most publique and solemne Communions at Easter To pricke you on forward in this most necessarie dutie of pricking your hearts with godly sorrow for your sinnes I have made choyce of this verse wherein the Evangelist S. Luke relateth the effects of S. Peters Sermon in all his auditours 1. Inward impression they were pricked in heart 2. Outward expression men and brethren what shall we doe What Eupolis sometimes spake of Pericles that after his oration made to the people of Athens d Cic. de clar orat In animis auditorum aculeos reliquit he left certaine needles and stings in their mindes may be more truly affirmed of this Sermon of the Apostle which when the Jewes heard they were pricked at heart and not able to endure the paine cry out men and brethren what shall we doe The ancient painters to set forth the power of eloquence drew e Bodin l. 4. de rep c. 7. Majores Herculem Celticum senem effingebant ex cujus ore catenarum maxima vis ad aures infinitae multitudinis perveniret c. Hercules Celticus with an infinite number of chaines comming out of his mouth and reaching to the eares of great multitudes much after which manner S. Luke describeth S. Peter in my text with his words as it were so many golden chaines fastened first upon the eares and after upon the hearts of three thousand and drawing them up at once in the drag-net of the Gospell Now our blessed Saviour made good his promise to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt catch live men and this accesse of soules to the Church and happie successe in his ministeriall function seemeth to have beene fore-shewed to him by that great draught of fish taken after Christs resurrection the draught was an f John 21.11 hundred fiftie and three great fishes and for all there were so many yet saith the text the net was not broken The truth alwayes exceedeth the type for here were three thousand great and small taken and yet the net was not broken there was no schisme nor rupture thereby for all the converts were of one minde they were all affected with the same malady they feele the same paine at the heart and seeke for ease and help at the hands of the same Physitians Peter and the rest of the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we doe Now when they heard these things they were pricked Why what touched them so neere no doubt those words g Ver. 23 24. Him being delivered by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God yee have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slaine whom God hath raised up having loosened the paines of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it This could not but touch the quickest veines in their heart that they should be the death of the Lord of life that they should slay their Messiah that they should destroy the Saviour of the world Of all sinnes murder cryeth the loudest in the eares of God and men of all murders the murder of an onely begotten sonne most enrageth a loving father and extimulateth him unto revenge in what wofull case then might they well suppose themselves to be who after S. Peter had opened their eyes saw that their hands 〈◊〉 beene deepe in the bloud of the Sonne of God Now their blasphemous words which they spake against him are sharp swords wounding deeply their soules the thornes wherewith they pricked his head and the nailes wherewith they pierced his hands and feet pricked and pierced their very heart They were pricked in heart That is they were pierced tho row with sorrow they tooke on most grievously Here lest wee mistake phrases of like sound though not of like sense we must distinguish of spiritus compunctionis and compunctio spiritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h Rom. 11.8 a spirit of compunction reproved in the unbeleeving Jewes and compunction of spirit or of the heart here noted by S. Luke the former phrase signifieth slumber stupiditie or obstinacie in sinne this latter hearty sorrow for it the former is a malady for the most part incurable the latter is the cure of all our spirituall maladies Now godly sorrow is termed compunction of the heart for three reasons as i Lorin in Act. c. 2. Dicitur dolor de peccato admisso quod est compunctio vel quia aperitur cordis apostema vel quia vulneratur cor amore Dei vel quia daemon dolore invidiâ sauciatur Lorinus conceiveth 1. Because thereby the corruption of the heart is discovered as an aposteme is opened by the pricke of a sharp instrument 2. Because thereby like the Spouse in the Canticles wee become sicke of love as the least pricke at the heart causeth a present fit of sicknesse 3. Because thereby the Divell is as it were wounded with indignation and envie When they heard these things they were pricked in heart when they were pricked in heart They said As the stroakes in musicke answer the notes that are prickt in the rules so the words of the mouth answer k Cic. 3. de Ora. Totum corpus hominis omnes ejus vultus omnesque voces ut nervi infidibus ita sonant à motu quoque animi sint pulsae to the motions and affections of the heart The Anatomists teach that the heart tongue hang upon one string And hence it is that as in a clocke or watch when the first wheele is moved the hammer striketh so when the heart is moved with any passion or perturbation the hammer beats upon the bell and the mouth soundeth as we heard from David l Psal 45.1 My heart is enditing a good matter and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer And from S. Paul m Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the tongue confession is made unto salvation And from our Saviour n Luke 6.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Many among us complaine that they are tongue-tied that when they are at their private devotions their words sticke