This perswasion called him into a right frame Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father Matth. 26.58 and he shall presently giue me more then twelue legions of Angels This one ground-worke of true obedience made Iob know his vilenes the lofty tyrant his weaknes the zealous Disciple his due compasse as generall patternes vnto all to limite their extrauagant humours and alwaies â—are to keepe within their bounds That neither the complaint of natures weakenes should vrge distrust in necessity nor presumption swell in windy showes nor busie attempting meddle beyond the rule of Gods direction Weake is that strength which his arme doth not support and strong are those endeauours hee blesseth though full of weakenesse We haue seene the stronger man able to ouercome by power and greatnes now see the way of conquering and the strength destroyd that lay against him All know his force is infinite but by what conueiance this vertue is exprest and frames the Creature is wonderfull who can trace the footsteps Semper agens semper quietus as Austen speaketh alwaies working and alwaies quiet He worketh without change without labour or any difficulty To speake the neerest to truth is to speake the greatest his will is his worke his word his law he commanded and they were created Among men words being of small worth are sayd to be but winde their labours must toile a little in effecting things of moment but God decreeth and the Scripture reduceth all to his word which executeth his sentence By this effectuall meanes all are brought about and that by a double word to which hell and Satan and all his enemies yeeld The word whose sound we heare to teach vs and his word of prouidence whereby he sustaineth vs whereof the enemy maketh confession Matth. 4.4 Man shall not liue by bread alone but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The first rules within the second without and one goeth along with the other to iudge and correct the Worlds courses The first commeth and ouercommeth It is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 If that power excelleth all which goeth beyond all nothing can equall it It subdueth the minde and comming into the bosome medleth with a mans secrets with an inuisible controll It worketh vpon tyrants themselues and pierceth into that place where neither tyranny nor the whole earth can get an entrance It bringeth euery high thought into captiuity and the proudest is brought vpon his knees in lowest submission if hee once be sensible of himselfe The word of God is quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the deuiding assunder of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 Strong in successe when God giueth his commandement vpon the Earth it runneth swiftly and nothing can stop or cast impediments sufficient in the way Compared for that end to leauen hid in three measures of meale till the whole was leauened to mustard-seede a little graine yet cast into a garden groweth into a great Tree and the foules of the Aire are lodged in the branches Vpon small and poore beginnings it hath taken such roote and fixed it selfe where it got possession that no Dominion hath beene larger It was at first and shall be last though people fall and Kingdomes like to Kings haue their periode Though nations loose it and where the day is gone before the night may be expected though persecution hath made it almost inuisible yet hath the Sunne risen againe or shined in another place it hath beene raised vp against the hope of ill willers and beyond the reach of humane wisdome and worldly helpers This word expelleth Satan and as by saying the word the deuills obeyed and the possessed were set free so are sinfull hearts gained out of thraldome by him that came to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set the bruised at liberty But one may thinke where is this power if we iudge by the successe so many hearts continue flinty in their sinnes as if the spirituall weapon wanted power or the strong man trusting in his Armour were able to beare of the blow Good fellowship can sometimes wash away the strokes it giueth bad example can ouermatch it beyond comparison and custome can seare the conscience that often hearing careth not if reprehension beate againe and againe vpon a knowne fault Besides it sauours of simplicity teacheth a man to deny himselfe to take vp the crosse to turne out of his beloued way and repent that the Pillars of strength and policy are here defectiue and in their roome all points of infirmity These manifold supposed wants that arise from the ill speeding may haue an answere branching out into equall diuersities for this strength is not alwaies seene nor alwaies working If God should let his power and iudgements dwell vpon the conscience of euery reprobate minde confusion would fill all places Many hearers are condemned and made euill by the strength of the Word one that hath no resolution to amend in hearing taketh truth by the halfe and snatcheth sentences to his purpose When he heareth of Gods mercy there is an occasion to presume or of iudgement when he seeth not the effect at first there is an occasion of doubt of negligence and deferring The Law being vnfolded and strict obedience vrged giueth occasion to reiect that seruice as a seuere taske or a yoâ—ke too tedious to carry And the word of God is strong still as physicke may be strong though it cannot cure but account it strong as physicke it either worketh the good or the bad way either as the sauour of life vnto life or the sauour of death vnto death as the Apostle speaketh Moreouer the word is a sauing instrument and hath one end and property for this maketh an instrument more perfect to execute one sufficient seruice and there rest seeing nature maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euery thing for a peculiar end therefore it may want some ornaments and perfections which belongeth to other ordinances The weaker it is if stronger effects be produced the principall agent is more commended and made manifest and for this cause God hath kept the glory of all workes to himselfe imparting onely some portion to the meanes The word then being an instrument is weaker because it aimeth at one end onely to make way for iudgement and not to execute it and because it dependeth vpon God the chiefe worker but in this regard exceeding mighty because the hand of God goeth with it so it can make no shew at all yet inforce the good and terrifie the bad As the strongest body is weake and stirres not without the soule so are words nothing without him that giues-them efficacy from aboue Shouting and sound of trumpets were no such engines in military assaults these by Gods appointment did fell the walls of Iericho And S. Paul sheweth
strong opposer and a great defender of the truth He against all the world and all the world against him This is the decree of God and therefore his great wisdome that by bandying the truth to and fro the substance of it might be gotten out at last and others raised by the aduersary from sloth to search it to make it shine more clearely as gold in the furnace and praise him that keepeth it safe in so many hasards And if we will make the best of a bad matter we may say and not altogether vntruly we are beholden to Heretiques for a great part of the truth for they haue stird vp the pens of the learned and occasioned the holy decrees of faithfull and religious Councels To conclude this point Arguments from peace and consent are no certaine or demonstratiue proofe either of a good or a bad cause Peace among Saints vnder Christ as we consider it in the minde is a spirituall vertue as we consider it a beautifull ornament or sweete harmony when multitudes are coupled in a bond of happy society it is a temporall blessing for spirituall things are in the minde Matters of this quality doe ebbe and flow somtimes giuen and sometimes taken away from the Church When Gods heritage transgresseth breaches are often made and his owne scourged most seuerely Dauid a man neerest him is extreamely threatned after his offence The sword shall neuer depart from thy house 2. Sam. 12.10 although he was so iust and penitent with his raigne so happy and flourishing Euery Church hath in it both good and bad therefore no peace can continue long without some impediment Our Sauiour saith I came not to send peace into the world but a sword this was the reason some would imbrace him and others refuse so father would be against sonne and sonne against father and a mans enemies would be they of his owne houshold S. Paul likewise affirmeth 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies among you that they which are approoued may be made manifest the light and fantasticall head to vaine deuises fit for him and the iust against him to manifest himselfe and expresse his gifts in maintaining the perfect truth The deuill as he vseth doth imitate God in part though in another intent sometime he setteth dissention among his owne yet warreth not against himselfe though his be diuided he is not For this is the difference betweene his possession and others hee keepeth his palace not to defend but to destroy it and if dissention fit his purpose hee can scourge his owne with this rod to please himselfe in their torment But when occasion requireth vnity he will not deuide against himselfe but keepeth this forces whole to doe greater mischiefe as Herode and Pylate enemies before were reconciled at the death of Christ and brethren in euill communicate their counsels This maketh him stronger and keepeth his palace in greater security because His goods are in peace Hitherto of the vsurped power The second part followeth the lawfull power first the victory When a stronger then be shall come vpon him and ouercome him The particle but noteth a coherence we must looke for some thing besides the words Consider it then as the branch of an argument He is the stronger that ouer commeth but plain it is he yeeldeth to my command therefore ascribe strength vnto me The Papists vse this argument to confirme their exercising and adiuring the deuill and from the fuccesse of their words striue to iustifie a counterfeit miracle because sometime he goeth backe and seemeth to yeeld to their holy water and the signe of the Crosse We answere the deuill doth delude them that by leauing the body he may possesse the soule and establish superstition They reply and say this is the Pharisees answere who sayd casting out and dispossession was by couenant and compact and did not approue the stronger man by his worke But this is insufficient for the Pharisees sayd Christ was not strong enough to worke these miracles of himselfe but Satan was diuided and gaue him helpe we call not the strength of Christ into question As for the aduersary he dissenteth not from his owne party but seemeth to fly that by a strategem he might deceiue them Secondly Antichrist doth worke lying wonders the Scripture doth prophecy as much but no lying wonder can be without show of a true and mighty operation therefore they must worke miracles with some notable point of dissembling Christ had power to cure diseases as well as to dispossesse vncleane spirits his miracles were beyond all exception one did helpe to confirme another and both ioyned to confirme his Doctrine Heerein they faile They cannot doe as Christ did heale diseases therefore their halting betraies their lamenesse and we may suspect their dealings are vnsound Thirdly some of their miracles are forged all the world knows it wel if then the viewing of them may helpe our iudgementin esteeming these they come both from one Fountaine for truth and false-hoode haue no fellowship To dissemble and giue out is great policy sometimes and we know they deale with a great politician who may not refuse to loose a little for the gaining of more as in Magicke he is content to subiect himselfe as if words could command him which cannot be done indeede but this counterfeit seruice maketh him a master and the commander that calleth him the greater slaue In the primitiue Church when miracles did last this exorcising had a diuine power for which there was great reason seeing in so dangerous a time the Infidels did worship these powers of darknesse Christ gaue his followers a gift to shew the truth and strength of his profession for to encourage his owne and conuert the obstinate mindes of others Lactantius speaketh of the efficacy thereof in this manner 2. Diu. inftit 16. Cuius nomine adiurati corporibus excedunt quorum verbis tanquam flagris verberati non modo daemonas se esse confitentur sed etiam nomina sua edunt Being adiured by the name of Christ they goe out of bodies by words as whips they are beaten and tormented and doe not onely confesse they ate deuils but tell their names Likewise Cyprian in his booke to Demetrianus the Christians great enemie telleth him what kind of Gods he worshipped O si audire eos velles c. O that thou wouldest heare them when they are adiured by our spirituall stripes and our tormenting words are cast out of possessed bodies feeling the power of God and confessing the iudgment to come These were testimonies of Christ the stronger man hauing all power in Heauen and Earth subiect to his word Some suppose that as a testimonie of Christs victorie ouer him he cannot come to Heauen as hee did before the incarnation In the old testament when the Angels came before the Lord a spirit came to offer his seruice to seduce King Achab 1. Kings 22.21 and make him fall before his enemies
the scribe and wise man hath no share in this busines rather shut out God saith he hath chosen the foolish things of the world to condemne the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 and the weake things of the world to confound the mighty And addeth the reason that no flesh might glory in his presence Heerein then consisteth the words glory that going the more vnlikely way to worke it speedeth and where it speedeth not confusion followes immediately Let any without partiality see by what meane beginnings against what heate of persecution the strength of the Lord subdued hell and planted religion by the first conuerting of the Gentiles with the Apostles and their followers it may turne the Atheist and raise the most dull and frozen spirits into admiration In reforming religion we haue seene the like if the first hopes failed the second haue sped and by no power or policy of the earth doth the Gospell inioy prosperity If any intent of persecution or crafty dealing could haue giuen it a deadly wound the face of it had not beene left to appeare before this time to make show â—or the voice of it to speake for it selfe This must teach vs to carry a constant hope let the strong man mooue and his instruments thunder out their threatnings and where they thunder least colour their close deuises to confound all in the end a vaine expectation must be the fruit of such confidence and their owne confusion finish vp their labour This rocke cannot remooue nor the stronger side fall though it suffer many foiles 1. Esdras 4.41 and some disaduantage Let our conclusion goe with the Apocry phall History Diuers were seuerally conceited where was the greatest strength found some gaue it to Princes some to women and to wine but truth obtaind it from the rest she spake for him that spake for her so went the iudgement of the King and the cry of others Magnaest veritas praeualet great is the truth and preuaileth And so much for the first meanes whereby the stronger man subdueth the power of his word The second is his word of prouidence the mighty voice in operation at whose command all things moue and obey in Heauen and Earth The rising of some and the falling of others and in a word the falling of a sparrow the cariage of great and small meete in this gouernment Solomon will haue vs know Eccles 3.14 What he purposeth shall stand to it can no man adde and from it can none diminish that we might feare before him But heere his footesteps are hardly perceiued The strong Man swaieth so much and the worlds behauiour appeareth so strange that his presence seemeth very remote his Maiesty to keepe retyred and withdrawne As in the former word of sauing health the victory stood doubtfull in the eyes of carnall apprehension the case is heere the very same Claudian guided by vncertaine rules sheweth how they gaue him a halting opinion betweene contraries so many Eclipses doth this light suffer such thrusting there is against God and godlines such preuailing of the bad and pride withall that he meruailed the God of all things should be in the earth and giue no more proofe of his strength and victory In these termes hee openeth his doubtfull meaning When I see the glorious frame of Heauen and Earth the bounds of the Sea Summer and Winter fitly disposed in their seasons the courses of day and night so orderly to succeede I thought God had giuen these lawes by singular wisdome and adorned his gifts with such distinction But when I saw such darkenes vpon the affaires of men the proud and vngodly flourishing and the innocent vnder foote rursus labefacta cadebat religio religion beganne to faile Though his owne plaine reason did ground him well in part Yet did a Heathenish minde thus plunge him in distraction There is but a haires breadth betweene the practise of many Christians and this mans opinion if the best waies be not prosperous they are forsaken and howsoeuer men haue a meaning the double dealing is to common See then on what ground it stands Many times the Lord will not shew his might his enemie gets the vpper hand impiety will domineere no way to crosse it where is then this victory mentioned in the Text It appeareth that this obiection may be forcible because Dauid or the Author of the 73. Psalme confessed that his feete were almost gone when he beheld the prosperity of vngodlinesse But going at last into the Sanctuary hee beheld the slippery place of such doubtfull felicity and found the glory to be but small which a moment can bring to desolation or ioy in a dreame that endeth with the night when one awaketh May it not rather amaze the enemie and confound vngodlines when prosperity shall be great that destruction may be answerable Nothing can match with his wisdome that knoweth how to giue way to folly that he may plucke downe the power of it being growne ripe and defeat such aduancement in the height Aristotle truly sheweth a great man may not at all times declare himselfe among inferiours it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wrestle among the weaker or dispute among the foolish 4. Ethic. 3. the world is too weake and base to receiue this strength of God in confounding the deuill If the Almighty should striue what place were left either for good or bad to finish their owne intentions or runne out their courses If his iustice did punish euery sinne who could indure it if he did reward euery vertue where were the patience of Saints of glorious in earth or their reward so great in heauen The world would too much ingrosse the loues of men if all things did runne smoothly as they would imagine See how vainely weake desires striue to fix a rest in the confines of this present State though such small occasion be giuen and the waies thereof fild with garboils and confusion Take one that liues in a troubled place suppose he be sicke and diseased in his body his friends leaue him or faile in their comforts and age hasten on the remembrance of his departure we shall often find the loue of life will make one so qualified to sticke in this mirie place and dote vppon these transitorie shaddowes For this cause the Lord sheweth his scourges rather then his benefits reseruing the beauty of absolute gouernment in the full lustre till another season yet here beginnes and layeth the foundation of his victory His workes although the beginning and the end cannot be of one forme want not to an indifferent beholder Satan and the malice of his instruments receiue many a grieuous foile the professors of his truth many encouragements and none shall want his ayd that duly craues it Helpe was promised to S. Paul when it seemed denied and he buffeted with Satans messenger This promisefaild not 1. Cor. 12.9 being a generall stay in hardest conflicts My grace is sufficient for thee
call the whole world as Aristotle doth a seruant instrumentum animatum a liuing instrument the great dealers in it are least of all themselues the more they are the greater their debt the more they stirre the more they are led and wrought vpon And so much of the second part of the Text our Sauiours power A compendious dispatch shall soone finish the last which containeth a vse for his Auditours First he strike that negligence He that is not with me is against me There are Neutralls in the world some it seemed at that time stood stedfast neither with Christ nor the Pharisees they gaue both the hearing but did according to their owne pleasures to shew it were no newes if after times and perhaps these of ours swarme with a like company But if some stay betweene good and bad how doe these words comprehend all vnder good and bad admitting none of a middle ranke Surely Psalme 69.28 as the Psalmist did pray that his enemies might be blotted out of the Booke of the liuing when in very truth they were neuer written there for then their names could not haue beene raced out onely in presuming hypocrisie they had written themselues there therefore he prayeth God would renounce them openly and proue them to be none of his so is it here no Neutralls but in opinion others may thinke them so or they themselues but Christ flatly discardeth all such Hee that is not with me is against me We neede not with S. Ieromie expound it of the deuill in particularly but including others with him referre it to those idle hearers which heard his words and saw miracles to no purpose so were enemies Quisquis non adiuuat quodammodose opponit saith Caluin hee that doth not helpe apposeth in a sort such negligence maketh the enemies more arrogant and the well willers more discouraged euen in humane affaires a man is more open for his enemies to play vppon if his friends faile him then if he had not any And what greater enemic hath religion then deuotion without practise this maketh all the world superficiall and Sermons heard like orations the vehemency of Gods command is let slip and this made a busines of the eare And when faults are commonly taxed the hearers account all but a wornesubiect and a beaten theame whereby the word is become as sounding brasse or emptie crackes to no end so these indifferent friends turne grieuous aduersaries August 1. de peccatorum meritis 28. Let vs thinke with S. Austen nec est vlli vllus medins locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo There is no middle place for any he must needs be with the deuill that is not with Christ If then we be not Christs enemies we must doe two things that we may be with him maintaine his cause when wee see his commandement and vindicate his honour if any disgrace his words and offend him By the first we make confession of our faith vpon occasion speake his truth and practise it so we honour him as his followers saue our selues by the right course and gaine others to him by example This benefit is great Many stand with him that many doe stand for And example because it beateth vpon the sences by an open Oratory proues the strongest mouer As among plants that grow the seede lyeth in the fruit so the fruit of a godly life is as seed it propagateth religion and stirreth vp others to godlines Christ saith Let yourlight shine before men S. Austen reasoneth why Mat. 5.14 seeing else where he commandeth good workes should be done in secret and answereth not that any should praise you but conuersi fiant quod est may glorifie your Father which is in heauen and become worshippers of him by your example Secondly we must reproue sinne vindicate his honour account his enemies considering their wickednes our owne Nothing is more defaced then godlines one reason whereof is this men sufferit to rest securely vnder their nose and where sinne is not controld it waxeth shamelesse The Prophet Esay foretold of Christ Esay 53.2 He should grow vp as a tender plant and as a roote out of a dry ground the world should yeeld him small moistures and his truth would be bended and bowed like a tender sprig of small account One complained of nature that man the best creature was brought into the world weakest naked destitute and vnable to help himselfe So fareth it with the best cause of truth and honesty hauing plaine dealing for a companion when vice is armed and wants not the fence of a guardian and protector The earth is become a stage and the cheefe actors egregious hypocrites it yeelds the show of soundnes when the inward substance is rotten pretending much and performing little Men will fight rather pro focis then pro aris for their priuate respects then Gods glory Perhaps a religious cause may haue defenders but if it be opposed or procure hatred and crosse other mens humours that once it become a burden or a charge they cast it off though they loose Christ and all by the departure They follow sinne with the swinge of the time and will goe with the streame though they drowne in the end Ruffin vpon the Creede sheweth no disgrace can harme one for doing good Christ for vs stooped to infirmities and was borne of a Virgine which humiliation was no staine to his Diuinity or blemish to his person he prooueth it by a similitude Si quis vide at paruulum in profundo caeni necari c. If a man of worth see a child ready to be choked in the mud though he get some mire by plucking him out can we account him deformed or polluted in like case let a man doe good the aspersions cast vpon him can be no dishonour And how can he expect the fauour of Christ that playes the flincher or if he belong to him not sympathise in his disgrace Or to speake of conuenient regards how can he refuse iustly to vndergoe a burden for Christ that tooke so many loades of heauie cariage before for him Infinite commodity might redound to his Kingdome by this spirituall fortitude the stout reprehension of a sinner might perhaps recall him at last or make his proceedings more calme and coole him where it could not saue him The opposition of the wicked in a bad cause or the helping of the weaker side in a good may meete with iarres and rubs in the way but the end which trieth all shall crowne those attempts with honour But in standing thus firmly with Christ wisdome and discretion must be guides when there are apparent testimonies no good can come it is in vaine to stirre One may better spare the labour then put the Scripture to a swearing man in a drunken fit or counsaile a man bent to scorne and derision Deuotion without circumspection betrayes the truth and counsell then looseth the Maiesty