be not against them Because this is a speciall meanes Reas as to shew a mans deresting of such things so to draw them to the disliking of such things as they are affected with or dote upon such speeches often more prevaile then greater matters men being more impatient of ascoffe then many serious reproofes This refelleth their conceit who deny any use of these things Vse 1 they deny there are any such things in the Scripture they say they are lyes they say that the Apostle forbids them Object Ephe. 5.4 neither jesting I answer that there is an use of them and that in the Scripture as the former examples prove Answ Neither are they supposed unfitting the Majesty of the Scripture For though it be true that a man speakes one thing and thinkes another yet the manner of his words and speech doth bewray his minde and that indeed there is no contrariety for the hearer may easily discern his minde As in that of Michaiah 1 Kings 22.15 for verse 16. Ahab discerned well his meaning that he did but scoffe at him and his false Prophets so that he speakes as he thinkes not for the very words but for the matter of the words Neither makes the place in the Ephesians against this because it forbids scurrility when men scoffe and reproach others rashly when there can be no edifying of others or good to the party but their malice and disdaine shewed and as well the modest and temperate hearers as the sufferers are offended which is that which differeth farre from these things we can not bring these within compasse of a lye unlesse we make the Spirit of truth a lying Spirit And in these a man hath no intent to have his words otherwise taken then he meaneth them This warranteth the use of them Vse 2 as sometimes our men have done in deriding and scoffing at the folly of Papists at their Idols and Idolatrous service and foolish superstitions and ever are lawfull to be used when a man doth it not for revenge or to wreck his anger wrath upon some person that is his particular enemie but to reprove and condemn impious and idolatrous worship and such like Now for the matter and first for that which is general here in the whole God will not accept their prayers that is the thing threatened It is a heavy thing Doctr. and fearefull judgement that men should pray and not be heard that they make long prayers to God but he will be as though he heard not but reject their supplications and they be as men beating the ayre It is threatned here So Isaiah 1.15 And when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hand are full of blood Proverb 1.28 Then shall they call on me but I will not answer they shall seeke me earely but they shall not finde mee Hosea 8.13 The contrary is promised as a blessing and performed as a blessing and acknowledged as a blessing Isaiah 30.19 Surely a people shall dwell in Lion and in Jerusalem thou shalt weep'no more he will certainly have mercy upon thee at the voyce of thy cry when hee speaketh he will answer thee 2 Chron 7.14 Psal 116.1 2. Because it is a manifest signe that the persons are out of favor and he is dispeased with them Reas 1 for the accepting of their prayer is a proofe of the acceptation of person because he first looks to the person In sacrificiis quae Abel Cain primi obtulerunt non munera corum Deus sed corda intuebatur ut ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde Cypr. de Orat Dom. 11. then the prayer as first Abel was accepted then his sacrifice And what can bee more fearefull though it is not alwaies felt then to live out of favor with God If in the displeasure of a Prince there be danger more of Gods to carry Gods marke about with him as Cain that he is out of favor Because this is the meanes by which all blessings are obtained Reas 2 the key that opens and shuts Heaven Oratio justi clavis est coeli ascendit precatio descendit Dei miseratio Aug. ut nihil sanctū nisi illo sanctificante nihil potens nisi illo roborante Prayer the wall of the City Ita nihil faelix nihil anspicatum nisi illo prosper ante Cipr. as Elijah it opens the right hand of God for blessings shuts the left hand from cursings Now when a man can receive no blessing neither escape any curse hath no meanes for it because as good be without the meanes as when they are not regarded must it not be a heavy thing Many things befall many men without prayer if that be no prayer which is without understanding and affection yet are they but common blessings such as are common to them and other men yea creatures unreasonable and senselesse Because as one saith verè novit rectè vivere Reas 3 qui rectè novit orare so he can only live well who can pray well For as St. Augustine out of Saint Cyprian Quae implenda jubentur in lege in oratione poscenda sunt but if they can not or shall not be heard in praying where shall they have strength to performe This noteth the senselessenes of many men Vse 1 who though they pray often and prevaile seldome or never yet never mourne under it as under a judgement sorrow not much for it It may be they can mourne that they have not that they desire for want of the thing it self but not that their prayers are not heard It is that they grieve for because they receive not from God but never that their prayers are not received of God like him that puts up a Petition to the Prince and is little or not at all troubled that he reads it not but gives it over to another that will smother it but his griefe is that he relieves him not and this appeares because their hearts desire any meanes else though never so unlawfull to supply that they want and to give that which God will not grant and if the opportunity be offered they will not stick to use them as Saul did the witches things condemned by him before Secondly because if those meanes be of force and by them they prevaile their hearts are cheared up well enough little or not at all sorrowing that he heard them not not much caring though he did not Thirdly if they prevaile not by those meanes yet never will they returne again to God nor seeke from him if not the things yet patience and comfort in the want of them To teach the whole Church and particulars of it Vse 2 to groane under this as under a judgement of God that their prayers are not heard they aske and receive not they seeke and find not they knock and it is not opened unto them And yet they asked things
doctrine There may be an ordinary and externall succession of place and person without succession of faith and truth of doctrine Doctrine Manifest here in these Priests who held the places and did ordinarily succeed the Priests who were specially approved of God yet did not succeed them in faith and in soundnesse of truth And as it was in the times before often a succession of the one without the other And this is first manifest by the former doctrine for when it often happened that all the ordinary Priests such as had the outward succession were in errour God exciting extraordinary Prophets to reprove them as Isaiah Ieremie c. It must needs be that there was a separation of these two In particular it is manifest in the time of Elijah 1 King 19.14 So when wicked Ahaz was King 2 King 16.11 Vriah the high Priest corrupting the worship In the Church of the Jewes in Christs time it was so for they condemning Christ and his followers as schismaticall Joh. 9.22 and 12.42 This is further proved Acts 20.29.30 These had their succession from the Apostles and held the same seats the same places which the Apostles held yet had snot the same truth and faith So out of the Ecclesiasticall stories it is manifest that the Arrian Bishops as Eusebius Nicomediens and Eustathius and others did derive their succession of place persons seats and Churches from the Apostles For they were called chosen and ordained after the custome of the Church and had no new but the lawfull calling So of the Donatists and Paulus Samosatenus in the Church of Antioch succeeded Peter as well as they did at Rome And the Greeke Church judged by the Papists schismaticall hath her personall succession not onely 1200. yeares as they confesse from Constantines time but long before from Andreas the Apostle as Nicephorus lib. 8. Chronol cap. 6. Because the grace of God Reason 1 and the truth is not hereditary that men should leave it at their pleasure to their heires and successors as they can their places and seats for John 3. as the winde so the Spirit blowes where it lists Not living men can make others whom they gladly would partakers of their faith and truth how should the dead and departed living men more likely Because as in a common wealth new Lords new lawes Reason 2 and succeeding men have different mindes affections wills desires ends c. and so change many things so it is in the Church And though they should leave them it as an inheritance yet we see children hold not their patrimony but many spend all so of this And as is said of Himeneus and Alexander that they made shipwrack of faith 1 Tim. 1.19.20 So of others Then falls to the ground the doctrine of Popery Vse 1 making this externall and personall succession a note of the Church and by it would prove theirs to be the true Church But if there may be such a succession without true faith and if true faith onely makes a true Church then can it be no true nor certaine note Besides it is not certaine nor expressed in the word of God that the Pope was Peters successor no not in place but to be proved onely by tradition and not to be deduced out of the Word as Bellarmine de Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 12. confesseth And so the maine point whereon the government and Hierarchy of the Papacie dependeth hath no word in the Scriptures to prove it and so the whole is hanged upon the conjectures of men as upon a rotten threed For the Scripture not affirming it what assurance can there be for matter of faith the matter must needs be suspitious and doubtfull Againe even the histories which is their proofe are in such various opinions that a man can hardly tell whom to follow touching Peters comming to Rome and his immediate successors Some say he came to Rome in the first yeare of Claudius the Emperour some in the second some in the fourth some in the tenth and it may be that none of these is true sure it is all cannot be true For his successors Tertullian maketh Clement his next successor Optatus nameth Linus and then Clement Irenaeus maketh Linus then Cletus then Clement If they differ thus what certainty where should faith finde any sure ground If then the succession at best is questionable and doubtfull if it may be certaine and yet be dis-joyned from the succession of faith as it is most certainly in them and true faith onely makes a Church then can this be no true note of the Church To teach us not to be deceived with the glorious shew and great boast of such succession Vse 2 specially when there is an apparant digression from the faith or a probable doubt of corruption in it For what succession soever be it never so long or glorious as a greater could not be then these Priests and people could have objected unto the Prophet yet if it be without truth of doctrine and true faith which is the very soule of succession it is nothing else but a very dead carkasse whereas true faith without any such outward succession establisheth and maketh a Church And indeed one of the purest and most excellentest Churches was without such a succession For the Church of which Christ in his owne person was Authour and Master in which the Apostle was brought up instructed had no succession And yet none will or dare deny that it was the best and purest Church For whom succeeded Christ and his Apostles Did he succeed Aaron and the Leviticall Priesthood Did he elect his Apostles out of them Nothing lesse For he succeeded not Aaron but Melchisedech being a Priest after his order not the others and so the succession was interrupted for many hundred yeares and so may be still And on the contrary there may be succession and no true Church when the faith is corrupt and not sound which made the Fathers when they speake of succession not urge a naked and externall succession but a true succession and such as was joyned with the succession of faith and religion * Non sanctorum filii sunt qui tenent loca sanctorum sed qui exercent opera eorum S. Hierom. They are not the children of the Saints who hold their seats but who follow their workes * Nonex personis fidem sed ex side persones probari oportet Tertul. lib. de Prescr avers Haeret. We must not prove the faith from the persons but the persons from the faith So say we let them prove the persons from the faith and not faith from the persons They have not the inheritance of Peter who have not the faith of Peter All which shewes they would not have us to stand upon the succession of the place and person but the faith and doctrine * Non habent haereditatem Petri qui fidem Petri non habent Ambr. lib. 1. de poenit c. 6. This wil prove
the end Isa 26.14 Both the master and the servant Both him that wakeneth and exciteth and him that is wakened and answereth the call meaning the whole house and family should be cut off God judgements against the wicked rest not in them onely Doctrine but also are extended to their families seed and posterity Isa 26.14 and destroyed all their memory Out of the Tabernacle of Iaakob That is take them out of the land of the living bringeth death upon them and putteth an end to their daies and letteth them be no longer among the living Though it may reach to their cutting off from heaven yea it containeth this whence It is a judgement to the wicked to be cut off eyther naturally or violently untimely or in his ripe age Doctrine Isaiah 26.14 and scattered them And him that offereth an offering Or him also that offered Though he offer noting the nature of men that when they are convinced of their sinnes they thinke to please God by outward things as sacrifices or fastings or outward hearing and multitude of prayers though they continue in their sinnes It is the nature and practice of carnall and naturall men Doctrine when the judgements of God are denounced against their sinnes and the wrath of God declared against them To take any course to free and deliver themselves from them and to appease his wrath rather then humble themselves and forsake their sinnes And sometimes by flying to humane helpes sometimes by religiousenesse as by offerings or fastings afflicting the body outward hearing and multitude of praying and such like It is manifest in these so in Saul 1 Sam. 15.14.15 And Hezekiah when he was led by nature and the common course of men 2 Kings 18.14 So in them Mich 6.6.7 and Isai 58.2.3 c. Because it is naturall unto them Reason they have it with other corruptions propagated from their first parents for thus Adam and Eve dealt with the Lord Gen. 3. To see the policy of Antichrist and the Church of Rome Vse who knowes not from how many things the Antichristian Church of Rome promiseth to her followers remission of sinne and so freedome from the judgements of God never once making mention of true repentance or forsaking of their sinne As the Sacrament of pennance almes-deeds forgiving of injuries and offences abundance of charity holy water sprinkled devout beating of the breast whipping of themselves pilgrimages all sorts of good workes And as the Rhemist in Math. 10. ver 12. Episcopall blessing for Christs death with them doth not take away daily sinnes but originall the sacrifice of the Masse doth that * Sicut cor Pus Domini semel oblatum est in cruce pro debita origi nali sic of fertur jugiter pro nostris quotidianis delictis in altari Thomas de sacra Altaris So as the body of our Lord was once offered upon the crosse for our originall debt so it is continually offered upon the altar for our daily sinnes And Catharinus in libro impresso Romae writeth * Christi passionem pro originali tantuÌ„â—eccato satisfecisse actualibus baptis antecedentibus missam vero satisfacere pro peccatis baptismum primam justificationem sequentibus Catharinus in libro impresso Romae That Christs passion made satisfaction onely for originall and such sinnes as went before baptisme but the Masse satisfies for sinnes committed after baptisme and our first justification Finally to say nothing of their Jubile and their Ladies Psalter and her Pantofle and an hundred such things And him that offereth an offering Though he offer an offering and thinke thereby to escape and appease Gods wrath yet shall he not prevaile nor escape In vaine do men thinke to appease the wrath of God Doctrine and to escape his judgements when he is angry and threatneth by any outward means as offerings fastings prayers and such performance of parts of his worship they remaining impenitent in their sinnes and keeping them still So is it here and manifest in that Micha 6.6.7.8 and Isaiah 58. à 2. ad finem Psal 51.16.17 Because God is a Spirit Reason 1 and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth outward things onely cannot please him being different from his nature yea they that onely bring them worship him neither in Spirit nor truth but in body and outward things in hypocrisie and dissembling c. Because all offerings a man brings to God Reason 2 all outward service he performes to him is accepted not for it selfe but if it be it is for him or else rejected for him and not he for it for though men which are corrupt doe accept men for their gifts and disliking their persons yet feeling from their purses they will soone change their mindes and like of them whatsoever they disliked before shall be excused and lessened It is not so with God he accepts men not for their gifts but their gifts for them or else rejects them and their gifts Because they shew more contempt against the Lord Reason 3 then if they never sought him with any such meanes or came before him which is manifest thus A man hath offended his Prince for which he threatneth and menaceth him to execute or destroy him If he seek not to him at all by any outward means or come not to him when he is summoned it is but contumacy not contempt for he may doe it out of feare Now contempt and feare cannot stand together in one subject but if he come and seek him by outward things never shewing any sorrow for his offence make no promise of his amendment but thinke thus to stay justice it must needs be judged a grosse contempt And where once contempt appeareth there no reconcilement at all can be expected So in this By the former poynt wee saw the policy of Popery Vse 1 by this we may see the impiety of it By the former they please many by this they perish as many And herein appeares their grosse impiety that for their owne gaine they care not how many thousands they lose not that of purpose they would perish them but that else they cannot profit themselves for if rhey should not teach them that such things forespoken of would please the Lord and free them from his wrath they would be of a small account and lower price and so their gaine and wealth decay because they may say as Acts 19.25 Sirs ye know that by this craft we have our goods Their impiety then is this that they hold them in the error that these things will please God and will not till they perish by such a conceit like deceitfull and unfaithfull Lawyers who to get mony and gaine to themselves perswade their Clyents tearme after tearme till the day of hearing come that a plea they have drawne for them will hold good and then they confesse themselves to be in an error when sentence goes against them and they deprived of their heritage like unskilfull or unfaithfull
obeyes and doth service to his father or master and knowes it is not acceptable and yet if he be told what way he may take to have it accepted will not so in this if there be any desire to please him labor not so much to doe as how to doe or to know what you doe and this not onely by siting at Gamaliels feet and hearing the Ministers but by reading the Scriptures and word of God your selves diligently and painfully Col. 3.16 for the Apostle so perswades Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome teaching and admonishing your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord not as Chrysost well saith that the word should be in you that is come as a stranger and stay for a night a season and gone againe but it must dwell in you and that not sparingly but copiously and abundantly Chrysost exhortation is not so necessary for these times and this audience to get them Bibles for they must have them in their hands and houses but to use their Bibles which most neglect Therefore as he de Lazaro Semper horter hortari non desinam ut non hic tantum attendat is iis quae dicuntur verum etiam cum domi fueritis assiduè divinaruÌ„ scriptur arum lectioni vacetis Quod quidem iis qui priv atim mecum ingressi sunt non desisto inculcare Chrysost Hom. 3. I againe and againe exhort you not only here to attend to the things that are spoken but when you are at home to read the Scriptures carefully which I use to presse upon them that are about me If this may prevaile a little more may that of Moses Deuter. 6.6 7 8. and that of Christ John 5.39 and the former of S. Paul But alas how may that complaint of Chrysostome be applyed Homil. 13. in John QuinostruÌ„quaeso repetit domi aliquid out Coristiana dignum opus aggreditur Quis Scripturarum sensus perserutatur Nemo sane sed alveâ—los talos frequenter invenimus libros quam rarissimos Chrysost Who is it that when he comes home doth any thing worthy of a Christian who is it that seekes the meaning of the Scripture None at all we may ordinarily finde you at Tables or Dice but very seldome at your Bibles Doth not he describe many of our Christians and their familes and so that being without knowledge all they doe is unacceptable Let us labor then for this knowledge and be not Idols in the Church who have eyes and see not so much knowledge is required as there is capablenese and meanes And if yee offer the lame Lame sacrifices forbidden signified the dislike that God had of such service as was done by halfes in body and not in minde è contra inhypocrisie for fashion and custome and such like Lame service which is done to God Dorct is unacceptable unto him whether it be done with the body without the heart or pretended to be done with the heart when the body goes another way when it is hypocriticall and dissembling or by parting or sharing with God it is abominable and not acceptable unto him therefore rejected he the lame sacrifices the ceremony leads to this substance the shaddow to this body 1 Kings 18.21 And Eliah came unto all the people and said how long halt yee between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be hee then goe after him And the people answered him not a word This God complained of Isaiah 29.13 Jer. 12.2 Ezek. 33.31 Act. 4.36 with 5.1 2. Math. 6.2 5. Because all and the whole is his Reas 1 both body and soule by his three-fold right of creation redemption and preservation or gubernation therefore he will have all or nothing can be accepted of him Because this is to make a false God of him Reas 2 for it is a position full of truth that a true God as hee will not be worshipped with fained and counterfeit worship so not with partiall worship but he will have all or none whereas false gods will be content so they may have but a share But the true God is like the true Mother 1 King 3.26 will not have it divided This condemneth all presenting of the body before an Idoll Vse 1 or in Idols service under pretence of keeping the heart to God whether it be done by feare fancy or for profit and gaine This is to offer up a lame sacrifice to God such as he abhorres it is without any president or precept in the Scriptures nay the Commandements precepts lawes admonitions judgments of the Law and Prophets of the Old and new Testament are all against it commanding to fly Idols and Idolatry The companions of Daniel chose rather to bee cast into the fiery fornace then to bow to the Kings Idol The mother in the Maccabees and her children embraced death rather then they would eare swines flesh contrary to the law of God Infinite are the Martyrs of all times who have couragiously embraced death before they would doe any such thing who had been all very unwise and fooles if this would have served and God would have accepted such lame sacrifice But for all this a man may goe to masse and such superstitions Object may he not No more to the one then to the other Answ for this is the greatest Idol in the world and for it more abominable Idolaters are the Papists then any other for never any worshipped the thing it selfe as they doe the breaden God and the crosse but they worshipped God at it and in it as their old distinction hath been But we goe to make us abhorre it Object when we see their follie and vanity This were as if a man should goe into a harlots house or stews Answ under pretence to see and to abhorre whom shall he make beleeve that is his end if it were apparent yet what madnesse were it for a man to lay himselfe open to bee taken with such a danger He presumes of his strength nay he provokes God to take his strength from him and to let him fall into it as in Peter This is not the way to abhorre it But as he that would abhorre uncleanenesse or drunkennesse must not take that course to go to stewes or to frequent tavernes for that is to make him more in love with them but must labor for a chaste and sober heart and that will make him abhorre it so here for a religious and holy heart for it is not the seeing of evill that makes men abhorre it but the seeing of good If men labor for true grace they shall easily abhore sinne and in this as in all others evill must not be done that good may come Nay though never so much good would ensue yet when God hath forbidden it when he dislikes it it must be avoyded This condemneth all prophane men who talke of serving God with
goe for currant servants will not abide with me if I instruct correct and restraine them as duty and reason requireth First see whether thou art not the cause why they are so untractable either not seeking by prayer a blessing upon thy government or dealing hardly and passionately in thy government as if thou hated them rather then loved good things or thy servants see thee doe contrary to that thou directs them for if none of these God will perswade them to be tractable and bend their hearts or else know that he would have thee purge thy house of them as David said and did his of his said lewd servants lest as God prospers a bad houshold for a good servant so he curse a good houshold for a bad servant Ministers excuses of the untractablenesse and unwillingnesse of their people which may happily come from their former negligence or indiscretion or if God doe not blesse his labours to them his reward shall be never a whit the lesse nor he lesse acceptable so he doe his duty Magistrates and Officers that they shall be accounted busie officious and pragmaticall and it may be when they are out of their office they shall have actions against them for this and that usage they may happily be justly so accounted because they follow and doe things in humour not in conscience If they doe not they neede not doubt of Gods protection and of good successe and should rather feare an action from God then men besides the losse of the good they may have by doing it But to all I say as she said to the Heathen King doe me justice or else cease to be my King So let them either doe the duties of their places or else never take them or speedily give them over and leave to be masters c. Or else they must know that if God will not justifie he will condemne The law of truth was in his mouth He taught the truth and word of God and nothing but that and that wholly The Minister of God must deliver to his people Doctrine the law of truth and it onely onely the word of God and nothing else Rev. 2.7 heare what the spirit saith The law of truth was in his mouth He taught the truth and nothing else but the truth and the whole truth all the truth not keeping any thing from them The Minister must deliver to his people the whole truth of God Doctrine all his will and counsell whatsoever he hath commanded and revealed Levit. 10.11 Deut. 5.27 Mat. 28.20 Acts 10.33 and 20.27.35 Because else he cannot be free from the blood of his flocke Reason 1 that is the perishing or slaughtering of them sanguinis i. caedis saith Chrysostome upon Acts 20.26 For if Paul be free from their blood and from their murther because as he said Acts 20.26.27 I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men For I have kept nothing backe but have shewed you all the counsell of God Then will this by the contrary follow Because else they should not be faithfull neither to him that sent them nor to them over whom they are set Reason 2 for what fidelity can there be when for their owne pleasures or respects they shall not deliver the whole he commanded and might be profitable to them 1 Cor. 4.2 And as for the rest it is required of the disposers that every one be found faithfull This will crosse their opinion who affirme many things in the word are unfit to be delivered and taught to the people Vse 1 and are ready to scandall and stumble at it when at any time they are But if the Minister must deliver the whole truth If Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things are written aforetime are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope If Deuter. 29.29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this law Why should they not be taught It is certaine that many things ought to be spoken wisely discreetely in their fit and due times but yet all things must be delivered That which Hierom counselled Laeta for her daughter that the booke of Canticles she should read last of all the Scriptures when without danger she might lest in reading it in the first place she should be wounded when she was not able to discerne spirituall things and spirituall love under carnall words It may be a rule for all things of the like kind for as Hilar. Psa 134. As an unskilfull man comming into a field abounding with wholsome hearbs passes by all as of no more use then the grasse but a skilfull one otherwise So of the Scriptures * Vt imperitus in agrum salubribus herbis divitem venerit omnia inutilia promiscuè genita existimans praeteribit peritus contra Ita de Scripturis Hilar. Psal 134. And as Bernard Why may I not draw a sweet and wholesome repast of the Spirit out of the sterile and insipide letter as grain from out the huskes as the nut from out the shell as the marrow from out the bone And as Basil * Quidni dulce eruam ac salutare epulum spiritus de sterili insipidâ literâ tanquam granum de palea de testa nucleum de osse medullam Bernard in Cant. serm 73. All bread affoords nourishment for health but of no use oft-times to the sicke or queamish * Omnis panis nutrimentum affert ad salutem aegris autem saepè inutilis sic omnis Scriptura mundis munda Basil ad Chyl de solita vita so is the Scripture pure unto the pure And if any seeme unclean and uncomely it is to those that are such in themselves For other things that men thinke unfit to be taught because of the greatnesse of the mystery and the depth of them I say as to the former If Paul have written of election and reprobation and hath said All things that are written are profitable and are for learning in the same Epistle where he specially handles those things why should they not be taught but with wisedome in their place That which S. Chrysostome speaks in another case we may apply to this * Magister literarum puerulum de gremio matris acceptum ignarum omnium primis tantummodo imbuit elementis quem rursus alius magister accipiens perfectioribus instruit disciplinis Chryl Hom. 9. in Gen. A petty School-master that takes a young childe from his mothers lap ignorant yet of all things onely teacheth him his first letters whom another master takes and instructs after in higher learning so in the knowledge of the Scriptures For as all men cannot dive and fetch pretious stones from the deepe but he that is cunning and hath the Art of it so not all but the wise can either teach or conceive the
being put for their writings Out of all which nothing will follow for the Pope or nothing in speciall manner I will trouble you with no other reasons onely I will shew you this chalenge is false because many of them have erred The first shall be Marcellus or Marcellinus who offered up sacrifice to Idols and by the Councell of Sessa was made to recant it The second Liberius whom Hierom and Athanasius affirme to have been an Arrian one that denied the Deity of Christ Thirdly Thirdly like to him was Felix who was an Arrian as the same Hierom writeth Innocent the first made both Baptisme and the Eucharist necessary to salvation of infants Augustine lib. 1. contra Iulian. Peligian cap. 2. The latter of these errours was condemned by the Councell of Trent Sessio 5. sub Pio quarto Ca. non 4. Fourthly Leo the first who died as Arrius did an Arrian Fifthly Siricius accounted Matrimony pollution Sixthly Vigilius accursed all who affirmed that there be two natures in Christ Seventhly Honorius the first which taught as Melchior Canus confesseth that Christ had not two wills or operations Eighthly In Concilio Romano Pope Stephen the sixth he abolished all the Acts of Formosus his predecessour and commanded all that had received Orders from him to be ordered againe and thought that the Sacrament depended upon the vertue of the Minister Ninthly in concilio Ravennae habito Iohn 9. disanulled all the Acts of Stephen and Sergius the third all that Formosus had done And so that which Iohn had done and approved the Acts of Stephen Some of these must needs erre Tenthly Gregory the seventh whom Cardinal Benno in his writing of him who lived at the same time makes an Heretick a Necromancer a seditious and a Simonist an adulterer not the worst Bishop but the worst of all men A right Hellebrand Eleventhly Celestinus the third allowed heresie to breake the bond of marriage and that a man might marry againe if his wife fell into heresie and è contra So Alphonsus de Castro Twelfthly Iohn 22. or 21. who held that the soules separated from the bodies saw not God nor rejoyced not with him before the day of judgement and was forced to recant it with sound of trumpet by the University of Paris for feare of losing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson writeth in his Sermon of Easter Thirteenthly Iohn 23. or 22. was accused in the Councell of Constance for denying eternall life and the resurrection of the body All which with many moe prove manifestly against them that the Pope can erre and hath erred and so may still Bellarmine I confesse hath a great many of shifts and evasions to cleare his holy Fathers but they are so light and foolish they are not worth the studying on for the most part This teacheth us how dangerous a thing ignorance is Vse 2 even in every Christian for if it be the cause of errour in the Ministers it will be in the people And if the Ministers all one and other are subject to errour if they erre and the people be without knowledge they will go after taking errour for truth because they are able to distinguish neither the one nor the other If it were infallible and certaine that their guides could not erre nor their Ministers be deceived it were no matter though they were never so ignorant but when it is most certaine that they are subject to it and their erring will not excuse the people though the other answer for their abusing and mis-leading of them their ignorance is very dangerous and that implicite faith Popery so much commends damnable And in them and others who would perswade the people they may be ignorant and a little or no knowledge is required of them it is suspitious as if they meant to make a prey of them to broach some errors among them For then saith Chrysostome theeves go to stealing when they have first put out the candle and then do men utter their bad wares when they have dim and false lights To perswade all men to labour for knowledge Vse 3 and to increase in the knowledge of the Word and Mysteries of salvation That they having the rule of truth and falshood the word of God may not be carried away with the errour of one or many be they never so great or learned Erre they may be they never so learned for they know but at the best in part and erre oftentimes they do because they are not wholly sanctified For as the greatest part of a Church is wholly unsanctified so the best are but in part sanctified and so are subject to partiality and errour yea may both erre and defend errour against their knowledge some violent temptation of pride pleasure and profit and such like carrying them thereunto seeing none now is incessantly guided and governed by the Spirit Then had they need of knowledge that they may try and discerne the spirits and doctrines and he that is not carelesse which end goes forwards not retchlesse for his soule whether it walke in the paths of truth or in the paths of errour will not be carelesse for it and to grow in knowledge But if they erre how not we Lookers on may see more then players We may allude to that Prov. 28.11 The rich man is wise in his owne conceit but the poore that hath understanding can try him And God often to the simple reveales things when hid from wise Matth. 11.25 to humble them and know themselves but men It is a thing that cannot be denied because stories of all times do manifestly prove it that sometimes errours and heresies have so much prevailed that the most part of them who held and possessed great places of office and dignity in the Church of God either for feare flattery hope of gaine or honour or else mis-led through simplicitie or directly falling into errour and heresie and departed from the soundnesse of the faith so that the sincerity of religion was upholden and the truth defended and maintained onely by some few and they molested persecuted and traduced as turbulent and seditious persons enemies to the common peace of the Christian world To say nothing of the times of Christ and after him of the first Churches in the Acts. This was the state of the Christian world in the time of Athanasius when in the Councell of Seleucia and Ariminium the Nicence faith was condemned and all the Bishops of the whole world were carried from the soundnesse of the faith save Athanasius and some few Confessors banished with him So that Hieron contra Luciferam Ingemuit totius orbis miratus est factum se Arrianum So Hilarius contra Aux Episc Mill. complained that the Arrian faction had confounded all Paphnutius in the Councell of Nice for the marriage of Ministers was alone But yee are gone out of the way Though they succeeded them in their places yet not in their faith not in the truth of
or turning aside form the perfect rule of God and so they sinned or else that which offends God so that it provokes him to punish and in this sense they sinned not God thus remitting the Law Others excuse the Fathers because they did it and God so permitted for the increase of the Church and not for any filthy unclean lust to satisfie it which was true in some though it hold not in others As Solomon and some others who cannot be excused of incontinencie Some excuse from some probable ignorance that either they knew not the Law or they thought not of it and so though not no sinne yet a lesse sinne Some the succeeding ages by their predecessors that though their examples make not sinne to be no sinne yet to be smaller sinnes to offend by their example who were otherwise good and holy men then when any thing is done with a wavering conscience and men are boldly the first that doe it for they are to be judged to sinne by error of judgement then perversity of affection Finally it is probable that God did winke at that in this people and their progenitours for thepropagation of his people and to give passage to the fulfilling of his promise of the increasing of them and though God used that fact of the fathers well yet will it not follow that they sinned not when they turned aside from the word of God but if they sinned in it and so persevered and dyed impenitent what shall we thinke became of them It is probable they never repented either because they thought they sinned not or else because they well discerned not their sinne and yet might be pardoned it and were It is true to have Gods mercy for pardon requires repentance yet is it not necessary that every man should expressely repent himselfe of every particular sinne How many things are done which are not rightly done yet not done wickedly by us but in a conscience not well informed and so knew it not to be sinne And how many which are forgotten that they were done and yet by a mans generall humiliation for all his sinnes and craving pardon of unknowne sinnes Psal 19. pardon is obtained And those fathers often in their lives confessing themselves miserable sinners and humbling themselves no doubt that repentance and faith in Christ to come did save them But 2 Sam. 12.8 David had his masters wives It is answered by some that he did because God remitted his law to him But others it is never read that he took any one of them to wife neither is it said so but though the phrase into thy bosome is commonly understood of marriages yet it signifies there onely power and authority that is I have given thee all thy masters goods and have not excepted his wives that thou maist have them under thy power as other things Tremolius thus i. res personas etiam intimas charissimas eorum qui prius tui er ant domini subjecitibi But Deut. 25.5 the brother was to take the wife of his elder brother deceased It is answered by most that it was an extraordinary example and a speciall thing but no generall rule for else incest might be proved by it if it were generall Others answer that it must be taken and understood if he have not a wife before And so much they thinke those words carry if brethren dwell together And a reason of it is because it is not like that God would have a man to neglect his owne seed and his owne wife to raise up seed to others but onely he would have his brother substituted in his place I omit many more of no great weight though of some shew against all which the truth will stand and prevaile To perswde the men of our age against it Vse 2 for howsoever the forefathers escaped with it God either for the increase of the Church or by reason of their ignorance and rudenesse winked at it yet as in another case Acts 17.30 The time of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth all men every where to repent So may we say in this specially seeing Christ by himselfe and by others his Apostles hath declared us the law of the creation and brought it to the first institution he beingas Revel 1. Alpha and Omega and as Hierom applies it to this when he found all things at his comming brought to Omega to an extremity and height he reduced them to Alpha to that which was in the beginning And if it were then granted to be no sinne yet will it be now They who excuse the fathers make as of man so of the world foure ages the childhood of it the youth the mans estate and the old age Now many things are fitting for children and may be tolerated in them which may not be in men of riper yeares as S. August saith inold time for men to goe with garments having long sleeves and skirts it was an argument of softnesse and wantonnesse But now if they should weare them with either they should be noted They say againe that that was the time of darkenesse ours of the light for though they were light in respect of the Gentiles they are darkenesse in comparison of us Now many things are tolerable in darkenesse which may not be borne withall in the light Then in this as in many other things we must not study what was done or borne withall but what is lawfull for us to doe and walke not in this and many other things as others have done but as God hath spoken Now wee may adde to the former words and collect out of them that when it is said Did not he make one who is the Author of marriage The first instituter of marriage is God Doctrine the Author of the conjunction that is betwixt man wife as at the first so now is God and he alone Manifest as here So Gen. 2.2 And the rib which the Lord had taken from theman made he a woman and brought her to the man Hence that Prov. 2.17 It is called the Covenant of God called so properly because he is the Author of it Hence Math. 19.6 whom God hath joyned together Because the breach of this ordinance either in man or woman Reason 1 by his law is death when either hath broken he ordained that the nocent party should dye yea hee that abused a woman but betrothed it was death Deut. 22.22.23 Now God for no ordinance of man ever ordained death Because though parents friends Reason 2 and parties themselves take care to provide matches after their humors some one some another yet is it not in the power of them all or any to make liking or knit hearts but only the Lord. To this some apply that Mat. 19.6 whom God hath coupled he working secretly and leading their hearts one to another Hence that Pro. 19.14 House riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord
he manifested himselfe a most mercifull father and never yet condemned and punished any people or any Nation with destruction banishment or other punishment but he first by his Prophets or by other means endeavoured to draw them to repentance and their duty from their madnesse and corruptions And so it comes to passe that either truly repenting and desiring the mercy of God they obtaine pardon or remaining obstinate and impenient they are most justly punished Now this ancient manner of shewing his judgements either privately or publiquely God commands here to be expected for he saith he is about amost excellent worke whereby he will make manifest to godly and sound hearted men the greatnesse of his mercy and will give proofe of the severity of his judgements to the wicked and those who are obstinate in their sin The manner how this is expressed unto us is by a Prophesic of two persons to come the one of Iohn Baptist the forerunner calling men to repentance and shewing Gods purpose both touching the godly and the reprobate The other of the Ruler and Saviour of the world the Judge of quicke and dead whose admitable power is manifested both waies both in saving of the good and faithfull and in judgeing and punishing the wicked The Prophesie is then of two persons and of their duties The first is Iohn Baptist the son of Zâ—charias who was and did shew salvation a comming and teach men the meanes how they might obtaine it who for the similitude of his minde manners studies and whole life was called another Elias for to understand this as the Hebrewes did of an heavenly Angel is marvelously absurd seeing our Saviour Christ in the Gospel hath manifestly affirmed that it was Iohn Math. 11.10 who was sent not by the councell of man neither came by his owne ambition but by the authority of God he undertooke this duty Behold Signifieth a certaine and a most famous and publique thing And speaking of this he useth the present tense he noteth the certainty of it that is as sure as if it were already done and as sure as if it were beheld with their eies But there is in this thing a difference betwixt the Prophet and the Evangelist one giving it to Christ the other unto the Father divers reconcile them diversly but that which seemeth most plaine and true is this That some works are proper to the persons to every one in their essentiall proprieties as to beget be begotten and proceed and these are not communicable but some are externall and common and sometimes are given to one person sometimes to another to manifest the unity of essence in the trinity of persons As Isaiah 6.1 I saw the Law sitting on a throne Some thinke St. Basil and others that it was the Father who appeared in that vision Yet John 12.41 It is given to the sonne And Acts 28.25 Saint Paul giveth it unto the spirit So that which is spoken of the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 7.21 is affirmed of the Father Heb. 1.1 now like to these is this The sending of Iohn being common to both is by the Prophet given to the Son and by the Evangelist to God or by Christ in the Evangelist to shew that he was one in nature with the Father and another in person Now Angel heere is a name noting an office or ministery and not an essence or nature Cyrâ—llus He shall prepare the way before me The effect of his office and ministery to make ready for Christ that is by preaching saith and repentance he might fit men ready to receive Christ whom he preached not to come but declared and pointed at him being present and already come And so he differed from all the former Prophets In which state he denied himselfe to be a Prophet Iohn 1. And the Lord whom ye seek The next Prophesie is of Christ himselfe and the Lord whose comming the person is described in this verse his power verse the second and the effects of that power in respect of the godly and elect verses third and fourth and of the wicked and reprobate verses five and six First of the comming of Christ which is described to us first when he should come speedily or immediately that is when John had once entered his office and begun to preach Christ should come preaching also repentance and the Gospell and so he did Marke 1. Secondly the place where he should come that is the Temple By which what should be meant divers men have divers conceits Saint Cyril understands the wombe of the virgin Saint August and Theod. the humanity and flesh of Christ because of that destroy this Temple Iohn 2. but neither of these can be seeing John must first be sent to preach which was not till Christ was thirty yeares of age for his sending was not his birth but his office or for it So Christs sending was not his incarnation but his office for then is he said to come when he began to preach worke miracles and execute his function So John 1.26 27. and Math. 3.11 By Temple then we understand literally the Temple at Jerusalem and in it the Church for in it Christ ought to be to teach to do and execute his calling and function by the decree of God And there to build himselfe that spirituall Temple which is made of living stones And this some gather from the preposition El ad which signifies not onely the place but notes the cause and end as well and so it is both to the Temple and for it noting the spirituall Temple to the materiall Temple and for the spirituall that the type this the truth Now the person of Christ is described First he is called the Lord that is King and governour of his Church of whom is that Psal 110.1 Which Lord the Prophet affirmeth that they desired the Jewes all of them some in one respect some in another desired him some as an earthly King and deliverer and some as a spirituall King and the true Messias who should be their redeemer and saviour from sinne and the wrath of God Luke 2.25.38 Even the messenger of the Covenant The second description of his person that he is the messenger or Angell so called because he was to reveale his Fathers will to his people and to be their Prophet to teach them what God requireth of them Called the Angel of the Covenant partly because he was promised and God did so Covenant with them to be their Prophet Deut. 18.15 16. and Rom 15.8 and partly as some thinke because he it is that makes the Covenant betwixt God and his people being mediator of it and partly because he is the messenger of the new law or the new testament wherein heavenly blessings are promised unto us So St. August de civit Dei 18 35. Behold he shall come The concusion for confirmation of the former to establish the certainty of it i. At the time appointed he shall certainly come so God
Reason 1 the Scripture giveth it unto him Isai 45.6.7 Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the evill and the good Psal 28.18.19 34.15.16 Then without sinne this cannot be denied which were to give God and his Truth the lie Because by denying this they deny the wisedome the power Reason 2 and the goodnesse of God for seeing God hath created the world and all things specially men how should he be wise if he knew not how omnipotent if he could not how good if hee would not regard and governe the things and men he had made For who would account him a good father of a family who when he can and knowes well how to governe and dispose of the children he hath begotten and of the house he hath erected and his whole family yet will not but neglects them And when they deny this of God do they not deny his goodnesse Then have we many proud speakers Vse 1 many that utter stout words against the Lord for we have many and too many who deny the providence of God some in one thing some in another some after one manner some after another some deny any providence at all some affirme it only to be in heavenly things some if in earthly things then but in great matters and about the greatest creatures not the smallest If in man for the generall not in the particular actions and affaires of men These are all speakers against God when the Word and Reason witnesseth of him that his providence is over all these as in generall Psal 113.5.6 in great things Prov. 16.9.21.1 in particular actions Jerem. 10.23 Acts 17.28 in smaller Job 38.3 Matth. 6.26.28 and 10.50 and many other of the like kinde beside reason as that the world doth so long continue that the heavens still keep their certaine and perpetuall motion that there are interchanging of things and as the day succeeding of the night and the winter of the summer that the earth being founded upon the waters compassed about with it and yet it neither sinketh nor is over-flowed will not all these prove his providence specially when they are created of nothing when many things are compounded of contraries and by a naturall enmitie seeke the ruine and would wrack one another For they must needs be preserved of some other but of none but God for who else is able to sustain to rule and govern so great a masse and so infinite creatures but an infinite power To deny them this is to speake against God himselfe of which all these are guilty either out of the dulnesse of their braines as being not able to comprehend greater things then are before their eyes and which may be groped and felt or else out of the wickednesse and corruption of their hearts who living wickedly and filthily lest the continuall remembrance of this should vex and disquiet them and the perpetuall feare of punishment torment them they frame this comfort to themselves As children when they have offended could wish and desire they had neither a Father at home nor a Master at Schoole and these perswade them so it is with themselves Vse 2 This may teach men to take heed how they deny or call into question the providence of God lest they be found fighters and speakers against God and that proudly and contemptuously For what if they cannot see God how he doth it yet seeing they see it is done and the world and all things in it governed after a marvellous manner they ought to beleeve it is so If a man shall see a ship come sailing into the haven or standing upon the shore see it go along upon the sea and often sailing prosperously in the midst of great tempests though he see never a Mariner never a Master and Pilot yet he doubts not but he is there Or as Gregory Nazi anzen If thou heare a Harp sound of divers strings and all keep one harmony thou wilt conceive of one that strikes them though thou see him not so in the government of the world Yea when they cannot see the reason of things that are done yet men ought to admire the wisedome of God As in States men do give more to the wisedome of those which hold and sit at the sterne and governe the State that they thinke well of things done and projected though they see not the reason nay when their reason is contrary Finally well and with good reason may they imagine that if a Father will governe his house and a King will not forsake his kingdome God will much more governe the world and not forsake it And if a ship though well built and strong as Chry sostom cannot be preserved in the sea without a governour no not a day in the middest of the waves nor the body separated from the soule how should this be All which may keep us from denying the providence of God and so speaking against God VERS XIV Ye have said it is in vaine to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his commandement and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts YEE have said it is in vaine to serve God The Prophets replication in the person of God shewing them wherein they had prophanely and impiously spoken against God and this their impiety consisted herein that they said it was a needlesse and fruitlesse thing to serve the Lord that a mans labour should be in vaine that should busie himselfe about it and restraine himselfe of other things of his pleasure and profit and they affirme it to be a needlesse worke both in respect of God who was to be worshipped and in respect of those who should worship him for the first some understand these words i. God is farre above man neither hath commerce with him if he have yet God hath no need of these things which men possesse neither doth he desire he is not affected nor bettered by the worship of men Then is it in vaine and foolish for men to bestow their paines and labours in those things which never helpe nor profit him they doe them for Now these things profit not God therefore they are vaine in respect of him And what profit is it that we have kept his commandements Their second proofe they have in speaking thus against God because it is not profitable to men who worship and serve him and first they deny it any waies profitable to do the good God hath cōmanded and that there is not with him any reward for well doing And secondly that it is as little profitable to abstaine from evill and that we have walked humbly before him which is as I take it not to be understood of that humiliation which is in repentance as some thinke but as some others it describeth one who having piety and the feare of God before his eies neither hurteth any man and being hurt of others doth not violently revenge himselfe but rather suffereth all things