erre but as he is Pope his judgment is infallible If he be sitting in his Chaire in the Consistory if hee back the whole Church then he is like Apollo in tripode he can speak nothing but Gospel Marry if he be walking or riding or sitting at Table he will talk as madly as any of his Cardinals Now because I know not what the Popes were doing how their behaviour was when they did thus and thus determine whether they were sitting in their Chaires as Plato was wont when he did dictate or walking with the Peripateticks or which is most likely lying with the Epicures the Popes authority is not sufficient of it selfe to prove this or that to be the doctrine of the Romish Church Whither must I now goe to their Councils confirmed by the Pope Indeed these be the Church representative or branch of the unwritten word which is to be received with no lesse reverence and authority then the books of the Old and New Testament Well then I will go no higher then the Councell of Trent it was called by a Pope continued by a Pope confirmed by a Pope and shall I take this for an undoubted truth that whatsoever is there decreed is universally received amongst Papists Oh but the very Councell it selfe though it hath been sundry times attempted yet could it not be received into the Kingdome of France nor is as I suppose to this day Yea and in Italie and Spaine too both private Doctors yea and Popes too have crossed the determinations of that Conventicle I will instance in one particular the Councel of Trent commands that the old and vulgar edition shall be received for authenticall and that no man under any pretence whatsoever shall once dare or presume to reject it And yet Bellarmine a great Champion of that Synagogue holds that in foure cases it is lawfull to appeale from it to the Original Languages and Azorius Vega Sixtus Sinansis Canus Lindanus and divers others since that Councell do aver that in that edition there are many grosse errours and ridiculous Soloecismes not only by the negligence of Writers and Printers which the Lovanianists and Colonianists have noted in the Margent but by the negligence and ignorance of the Interpreter himselfe yea and Popes themselves contrary to the Precept and Decree of that Synod have revised and corrected the same For about 43. years after the first publication of this Decree Sixtus 5. did review and correct the whole Bible and publishing it in the last yeare of his Popedome did command that that of his should for evermore stand in force upon paine of the great Curse and yet within three years after this comes Clement 8. with a new Edition in many hundred of places different from that of Sixtus the diversities whereof being gathered together by a painful Antiquary into a Book which he intituleth Bellum Papale doe make a pretty volume and this latter must I trow upon no lesse penalty be received for authenticall These be they that boast of unity and make Consent a mark of the Church But let us grant that unto the Papists which they are never able to make good that Rome is at Peace with her selfe will it hence presently follow that that Church is this little Flock Theeves and Robbers are at peace amongst themselves and true men may goe to Law one with another The Scribes and Pharisees yea Herod and Pilate agreed in crucifying Christ The the Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers took counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal 2. 2. They have cast their heads together with one consent and are confederate against thee O God the Tabernacles of the Edomites and Ismaelites the Moabites and Hagarens Geball and Ammon and Amaleck the Philistims with them that dwell at Tyre Ashur is also joyned unto them Psalm 83. The Nobles and Princes and Dukes and Judges and all agreed in the dedication of the Image which Nebuchadnezzar bad set up they must either be at peace with God or their braggs are winde There is no true peace amongst men when they warr with God there is no truth in unity when there is no unity in truth Now how they agree with the Spirit of God speaking unto us in the holy Scriptures he that will heare them 〈◊〉 speak shall quickly discerne God forbids that any Image be made to any religious use or being made to be worshipped the Church of Rome commands both God commands that the Sacrament shall be ministred in both kinds the Church of Rome commands that the greatest part of Christians have it but under one kinde God teacheth us that howsoever before men we are justified by works yet before him we are justified by Faith without the works of the Law the Church of Rome teacheth that we are not justified before God by faith without the works of the Law God tells us that we must pray with the understanding the Church of Rome maintaineth praying in a strange tongue God saith that Marriage is honourable amongst all men the Church of Rome denies it God calls the prohibition of marriage a Doctrine of Devills the Church of Rome makes the prohibition of marriage equall to Canonicall Scripture God hath taken away all legall distinction of meats and tells us that every creature of God is good c. they the Church of Rome puts more religion in abstinence from meats then in the observation of Gods precepts Briefly whereas the summ of the whole Bible is comprehended in the Decalogue and Creed and both these included in the Lords prayer there is not a Commandement in the Decalogue scarce an Article in the Creed or petition in the Lords prayer against which if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence they doe not offend they ascribe an inward religious worship to Saints against the first Commandement they adore Images against the second they maintaine swearing by the creatures invocation of Saints they dispence with Oaths against the third with greater strictnesse they observe their owne holidayes and fasting dayes then the Lords day against the fourth they extoll the Pope above all Emperours and secular Princes they admit Children into religious Orders without consent of Parents against the fifth they teach and practise rebellions murthers and massacres of such as be opposite unto them in matters of Religion against the sixth they prohibite marriage and allow the Stews against the seventh they hold that in extreame necessity it is lawfull to take another mans goods against the eighth they maintaine equivocation and mentall reservation against the ninth they hold that concupiscence unto wich the will doth not yeeld consent is not properly a sin and so overthrow the tenth that concupiscence unto which the will yeelds her consent being forbidden in the former precepts Not to trouble you further the summ of all is this Such is the unity of the Romish Church as neither old Papists agree with new nor old
winnow it and shall blow the chaffe and scatter it away from the face of the earth The reasons hereof first respect the wicked and that is to make them more inexcusable in that conversing with the godly they do not learne godliness but as those which walk in the sunne though they change their outward colour yet they still retaine their inward nature so these though they receive an outward tincture of godlinesse yet they still keepe their inward corruption Hereupon it is that Corazin and Bethsaida are more inexcusable then Tyrus and Sidon that the men of Nineve and the Queen of the South shall rise against the Jewes and shall condemne them that it shall be better for them of Sodome in the day of judgement then for Capernaum 2. The Lord by this meanes effecteth the conversion of some which are not yet called For as the Aramits by walking with the Prophet were at unawares brought unto Samaria so many who are not as yet called by walking with the righteous are catched at unawares and brought to Christs sheepfold 3. The Lord doth hereby exercise his children and keeps them still fighting wheras otherwise they would be ready to fall asleepe in the cradle of carnall securitie The coldness of devotion that is in the worldlings doth by an Antiperistasis oftentimes stirre up the heate of zeale in Gods Children While the winds strives to blow out the fire it increaseth the flame and while the wicked doe indeavour to consume the heate of zeale in Gods Children and to make them as cold as they themselves are they often blow it up and make it farre greater then it was before I told you before what Tully saith of Muraena that his chastity was more seene in living among the effeminate Asians then ever it was at Rome And I am sure Lots continencie did farre more appeare when he lived amongst the Sodomites then when he was in the mountaine with his two daughters If Gods Children should have none but such as Moses and Elias to converse with them they would say as Peter did unto Christ when he was transfigured upon the mountain Master it is good for us to be here let us here upon this mountain build us Tabernacles They would never say with the Psalmist Lord who shal dwel in thy tabernacle and who shall rest upon thy mountain Whereas now being vexed with these Cananites that dwell amongst them and are thorns in their sides and pricks in their eyes they are wearie of the earthly Canaan and long for another which floweth with better things then milk and honie They cry out as Rebeccae when she felt the two twinnes strugling in her wombe if it be so why are we thus 12. To leave then the conclusion and to come to some application thereof Are the wicked intermixed with true and zealous professors What shall wee then say to the old Donatists and the Brownists and Anabaptists which separate themselves from the true Church and say with those in the Prophet Come not near us for wee are holier then ye Methinks I may say unto them as Constantine said to Acesius a Novation Bishop Let them make a Ladder for themselves to ascend into heaven here is no place for them on earth as long as this world shall last the Lords wheat shal grow up with the tares Christ hath spoken it and Christ is truth if there be in them any charitie they will assent to this veritie yea but light hath no communion with darknesse nor bitternesse with honie nor life with death nor the unbeleever with the infidell It is the objection of Petilian the Donatist against Austin But his answer is that when they eschew the darknesse they forsake the light when they flee from death they flee from life also Attendis Zizania per mundum triticum non attendis cum per totum utraque sint jussa crescere Attendis semen maligni quod ad finem messis separabitur non attendis semen Abrahae in quo benedicentur omnes gentes Dost thou marke the darnell and dost thou not remember the wheat Dost thou thinke upon the seed of the Serpent whose head shall be crushed and dost thou not thinke upon the the seed of Abraham in whom all the Nations of the earth shall bee blessd when thou fleest from the chaffe thou forsakest the good wheat which is mingled with it When thou separatest thy selfe from the seed of the wicked thou separatest thy selfe from the seed of Abraham When thou thus dividest thy selfe from the Hypocrites that are in the true Church thou cuttest thy self from the Church and a member taken from the whole must needs perish If thou wilt thinke upon this with that heedfulnesse that thou shouldst thou wilt not forsake the greene pastures of the Lord that are besides the waters of comfort because of the goats nor leave Gods house because of the vessels of dishonour nor runne out of the Lords floore because of the chaffe nor separate thy selfe from the wheat because of the tares which shall at length be bound in a bundle and cast into the fire nor burst the unitie of the Lords net because of the bad fish which swimme in it which when the net is brought to land shall be cast away but as a father speakes tolerare potius propter bonos commixtionem malorum quam violare propter malos charitatem bonorum rather for the good to tolerate the bad then for the bad to forsake the good But before I leave this point I must give thee this lesson and I beseech thee marke it well though of necessity thou must live amongst the ungodly yet thou must not walke in the counsell of the ungodly much lesse standing stand in the way of sinners and least of all sit downe in the seate of the scornfull Though thou dwell among Wolves thou must not ululare cum lupis howl with the wolves though thou accompany with the fornicators of this world and with the coveteous and with extortioners and with idolaters for else thou must goe out of this world yet be not partaker with them in their sinnes least thou be partaker with them in their punishments Though a corporall separation cannot be had yet in spirit thou must separate thy selfe for let every one that calleth on the name of the Lord separate himselfe from iniquity Thou seest what is thy lot if not with Lot to dwell with Sodomites or with Naaman to be amongst the Aramites or with Joseph to live among the Aegyptians if thou canst not say with David Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Meshech and to have my abode in the Tents of Kedar Yet mayest thou say with Esay Woe is me for I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips With Christ and his Apostles thou must converse with a Judas with the Hebrews thou
father with whom is fulnesse of delights and at whose right hand is pleasure for evermore to satisfie for our pride humbled himselfe and took upon him the forme of a servant to answer for our gluttony tasted gall and vineger to answer for our covetousnesse paid not gold nor silver but the ransome of his own bloud These things I do but point at having discoursed of them elsewhere when I handled our Saviours milde speech unto Iudas when he went to betray him Therefore I passe them over and come to apply this fact unto these present times 14. Judas is dead and all men cry fiâ— upon him and say that if they had been in Judas his dayes they would not have been partners with him in the bloud of our Saviour And so said the old Pharisees if they had been in the dayes of their fathers they would not have been partners with them in the bloud of the Prophets And yet they fulfilled nay they exceeded the measure of their fathers wickednesse And now a dayes howsoever many will build the tombes of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous yet we have Judasses which will betray Christ unto the high Priests I cannot reckon them all but there are 3 transgressors nay 4 which I cannot passe over 1. The sacrilegious Church-robber 2. The grinding oppressor 3. The close briber 4. The deceitful lawyer All these do their best nay their worst to betray Christ if not in his person yet in his members into the hands of the hellish Caiphas And me thinks they do somewhat resemble those 4. great plagues mentioned in the first of Joel which were the Caterpiller the Locust the Cankerworme and the grashopper The Caterpiller eats the first fruits when they are in setting To him I compare the Church-robber which lives of the first fruits and tithes which by the law are due to God The Locust as Naturalists describe him is a great flie which liveth upon the lesse and with no difficulty can burst a spiders web wherein the smaller flies are quickly catched To him I compare the oppressour which devours his inferiours and will with no lesse difficulty passe through those good statutes that are made against him then a great Locust will burst through a spiders web The Canker-worme doth secretly shave off the tender barks of herbs and trees before he can be perceived To him may be likened the briber which doth so closely carry himselfe that none can perceive him but the plant which he feeds upon The Grashopper hath a chirping voice to allure a man after him but yet so nimble is his motion that he which followeth him shall scarcely finde him Like to it is the deceitful lawyer which with faire promises and sugered hopes draws his clients after him but so nimbly he hops up and down for his own advantage that ye shall perhaps not finde him twice in one tune insomuch that ye shall be worse resolved in the end then ye were in the beginning These four lie as heavy upon our land as those four plagues did upon Judah so that we may say that which is left by the Locust the grashopper hath eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the cankerworme eaten and the residue of the cankerworme hath the caterpiller eaten Before I begin to speak of these in particular let me use the Apostles protestation I say the truth in Christ Iesus I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy ghost I do not seek the disgrace of any particular it is the truths cause and Gods cause that moveth me to speak and let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth when I shall be afraid to discharge a good conscience in Gods behalf If then my musick seem harsh and unpleasant in the eares of any that heare me I would have them to know thus much that the strings upon which I am to play are farre out of tune If any man shall finde himselfe wounded with my speech I say unto him as our Saviour did to the adulteresse Hath no man condemned thee neither do I condemn thee yet I adde with Iohn if thine own heart do condemn thee God is greater then thy heart and knoweth all things and therefore I dismisse thee with that speech of Christ to the impotent man go thy way and sinne no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee Now to the particulars 15. In the first place come the Simoniacal Patrons the heires and eldest sons of Iudas the caterpillers of our Church and the notablest thieves in all our land Which will not part with that portion which is due unto the sons of Levi and which is committed unto them as the golden apple was unto Paris with this motto ingraven upon it detur digniori let the most worthy have it unlesse with Iudas they covenant for a price before hand Let a mans gifts of mind be never so good yet if he bring no gifts in hand let his care and industry and learning be never so rare and extraordinary yet if he do not speak with the tongue of men and angels yea arch-angels he shall have little hope to prevaile in his suit He that will insinuate himselfe into their favours must come as Iupiter came into Danaes lap per impluvium secretly in at the chimney top not in at the door and he must come as Iupiter then came in a shower of gold This is the way this is the best means to effect his desire for he that is as blockish and stupid as Philips Asse in Plutarch if he be loaden with gold with that asse oh he is a man of excellent gifts of rare endowments no exception must keep him back that which he wants in learning he hath it in simplicity as if it were simplicitas Asiâ—ina and not simplicitas columbina which the Lord would have in his ministers And what if he lack Latine he hath gold enough and that is a farre more pretious metal But if this way will not hold then they will take another course they will act the parts of Ananias and Sapphira and keep back part of that possession which they should voluntarily lay down at the Apostles feet There must be an exception in the general rule a reservation of their own tithes a limitation of such a township or such a field Or they will say with the harlot 1 Kin. 3. Let it neither be thine nor mine but let it be divided Here is treason in another kind they do not sell the king of heaven by covenanting for a price before hand as Judas did but which is all to one effect they clip his coyn and make it so light that it will not sustaine the sonnes of Levi. And this verily is a principall reason that we have so many mutes and so few vowels in our crosserow that many lapwings which hopped out of their nests with their shels on their heads before ever they
octo pedum He whom the whole earth could not content was at length contented with a parcel of ground of eight yea of six foot long Herod when upon a day he was arrayed in royal apparel and sate on the bench and gave such an excellent charge that the people cried non vox hominem sonat It is the voyce of God and not of man immediatly after proved neither God nor man For he was eaten up of wormes and gave up the Ghost Rare examples for the Gods of the earth to look down into their own bosomes and to remember that they must die as men It is a good custome of the Emperour of the Abyssenes Prester John to have every meal for the first dish that comes on his table a dead mans skull to put him in mind of his mortality So was that which was used by Philip namely to have a boy every day to put him in mind that he was to die as a man Not much unlike was the old practise of the Egyptians who when their Princes went to banquet used to beare before them the picture of a dead man to put them in mind of their mortality 24. Seeing then that ye must die study to have your accounts in readinesse that whensoever the Lord shall call you hence hee may finde you provided Be faithfull in those high rooms wherein God hath placed you Ye execute not the judgements of man but of the Lord. Aske counsel therefore of God and weigh your proceedings in the ballance of the sanctuary Do nothing but what God commands you and the testimony of a good conscience will warrant to be lawful remembring that ye must one day God knowes how soon that day will come be summoned to appear before the common Judge of all flesh who is a burning and consuming fire who is not blinded with secret closenesse nor corrupted with bribes nor moved with friends nor allured by flatterers nor perswaded by the importunity of intreaters to depart anâ— haires breadth from the course of justice no though these three men Noah Daniel and Job should stand before him and make intercession in your behalf These things remember and do and ye shall have comfort in your lives comfort at your deaths And when your souls shall be removed from those earthly cottages wherein they now dwell they shall be translated into everlasting habitations and received with this joyful and comfortable welcome it is well done good servants and faithful ye have been faithful in a little I will make you rulers over much enter into your masters joy 25. Like men It is implied in the conclusion of my text that it is the lot and condition of all men to die And therefore as it concernes magistrates so it concerns all others to provide themselves for their end because as the tree fals so it lies that is as the day of death shall leave them so the day of judgement shall finde them Remember this yee that are to be witnesses for giving testimony unto the truth and jurers for giving a verdict according to the truth And as you love and reverence the truth it selfe as ye desire the benefit of your Christian brethren which ye should love as your selves as ye wish the glory of God which ye should tender more then your selves let it be a forcible motive unto you to deal uprightly in every cause with every man without declining to the right hand or to the left then shall ye sanctifie the name of God by whom ye do swear to speak truly to deal truly ye shall give occasion to good men to praise God for you and ye shall not need to be ashamed to meet God in the face when he shall call you to a reckoning for your doings But on the other side if rewards shall blind you or fear enforce you or pitty move you or partiality sway you or any respect whatsoever draw you to smother the truth and favour an evil cause yee pearce your selves through with many darts For first you are false witnesses against your neighbour secondly ye are thieves ye rob him of his right thirdly ye are murtherers ye kill him in his body or in his name or in his maintenance fourthly and which is worst of all ye take the name of your God in vain yea as much as in you lieth ye take his godhead from him and make him who is the truth from everlasting to be all one with the devil who is a lyar from the beginning If ye must be countable unto God when he shall call you hence for every idle word that goes out of your mouthes and if the least ungodly thought of your hearts in the rigour of Gods justice deserve eternal death how shall ye be able to stand in judgement under this ponderous Chaos of so many crying sins I cannot prosecute this point only for conclusion I say with Moses behold this day have I set before you life and death blessing and cursing choose life and ye shall live If not I pronounce unto you this day ye shall surely perish The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 26. You whose profession is to open the causes in controversie and by your knowledge in the laws to distinguish between right and wrong truth and falshood remember that ye must die And therefore I beseech you in the fear of God to study to make the cause of your clients sure as that ye do not in the mean time forget S. Peters counsel to make your own election sure I urge this the rather because absit reverentia vero I will speak the truth in despite of all scoffes and I hope such as are ingenious will bear with my plainnesse if as Philip said of the Macedonians I call a boat a boat and a spade a spade because it seemeth to be much neglected by many of your profession who with Martha trouble themselves about many businesses but anum necessariâ—m to meet Christ and talk with him they scarce remember it I remember the saying of Demades touching the Athenians when they refused to make Alexander one of their Gods and Cassander who was his successour threatned that unlesse they would do it he would presently overthrow their city the Athenians said Demades have reason to look to themselves lest while they are too curious about heaven they lose the earth But these men have need to look to themselves lest while they trouble themselves too much about the earth they lose heaven by whose means especially it is effected that our courts do too much resemble the Lyons den which howsoever other beasts in simplicity went flocking on heaps unto yet the fox that found by experience how others sped durst not come near it Quia me vestigia terrent said she Omnia te adversum spectantia nulla retrorsum All comes to them little from them they have as attractive a force for silver as the loadstone
presseth the Lord with his sinnes as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves is a filthy Swine and none of CHRISTS Flock The backsliding Hypocrite that like Nebuchadnezzars Image hath â— head of Gold and feet of Clâ—y a good beginning and a bad ending that with Mâ—â—diabilis first offers a golden then a silver then a leaden Sacrifice and with the Gallathians begins in the spirit and ends in the flesh is an unclean Dog licking up his own Vomit and none of Christs Flock the oppressing Land-lord that wringeth and squeezeth his Tenant like a spunge and eates up their guts and puls the skin from the flesh and the flesh from the bones as the Prophet speaketh is a ravenous Wolfe and none of Christs Flock The unjust Magistrate that sitteth to judge according to the law and commandeth to smite contrary to the Law and maketh his place a Monopoly for himselfe is a wilie Fox and none of Christs Flock The deceitfull Lawyer that hides the weakness of his Clyents Cause as the Panther doth the deformity of his head when he would allure other Beasts to follow him is a deceitfull Leopard and none of Christs Flock The Priest and Jesuite that barbours in every quarter of our Land like the Egyptian Frogs and goeth about to poyson the hearts of Christs Sheep with the inchanted cups of the Italian Circe is a venamous Toade and none of Christs Flock All those we wish to be removed and seperated from this little Flock into their own proper Elements The Sow to the Mâ—re the Dog to his Kennell the Wolfe to his Den the Fox to his Earth the Leopard to the Wildernesse the Toade to the stinking Italian Fennes where they be bred And I pray God that you R. H. and others like unto you I mean zealous godly and watchfull Shepheards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might deal with as many of these as are incurable and incorrigible as our Saviour dealt with the Gaderens Swine when they were possessed with Devils Drive them into the Sea that they might be choaked in the waters or as the Legend fables Saint Patrick delt with the Irish Toades or as the Welchmen used the English Wolves root them out that there might not one be left alive to worry the tender Lambs of this little Flock Give me leave in handling the first Point to touch two or three propertyes of a Sheep wherein every man must study to resemble her that will acknowledge Christ for his Shepheard 1. She is Sincerum simplex Sine fraude pecus Simple without all guile and dissimulation 2. Meek without all harme or offence 3. Patient without all desire of revenge Concerning the first We must have this Sheep-like simplicity and that in heart in word in deed we must be plain and simple of heart so we must be wise as Serpents but simple as Doves Matth 10. 16. Plain and simple in speech for we must cast off lying and speak every man the truth unto his Neighbour Ephe. 4. 25. Plain and simple indeed for he that doth uprightly and worketh righteousnesse shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle Psal 15. 1 2. But alas where is that Sheep-like simplicity that should be amongst us where is that true Nathaniell that true Israelite in whom is no guile So far hath deceitful hypocrisie prevailed in mens hearts that amongst all vocation â— in Court and in Country in Church and in Common-Wealth dssimulation is now counted a great part of policy and it is grown a common Proverbe in our mouths but much more in our practise Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere And this sheep-like simplicity is contemned and condemned for meer folly and brutish stupidity in so much that a sheep a simple man and a foole are become Symonyma all one in signification to cog to cloak to fawne to flatter to speak what thou never thinkest and think what thou never speakest Oh these are high points of wisdome And as under the fayrest flowers and greenest grass lye the most poysonful serpents so oftentimes under the fairest and sweetest tongues the most poysonful and deceitful hearts Briefly men so live as if our Saviour had not given this Commandement Be wise as Serpents and simple as Doves but Be wise as Doves and simple as Serpents They resemble the Dove and the Serpent too but in contrary qualities the Dove in knowledge the Serpent in simplicity for knowledge I mean saving knowledg it is as far from them as the Dove is from being a great States-man or wise Politician and for plain and honest simplicity it is as proper unto them as it is to the wilie and winding Serpent so that it is plain there is no truth in their hearts and â—eynes Now if the fountaine be polluted is it likely that the streame will be cleane If the root be bitter will the fruit be sweet If the house be full of smoak will the chimney be faire without I the Clock be out of tune below will the Bell strike right above If the heart be full of deceit and hypocrisie will there be truth in our words Surely no For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And no marvail therefore seeing we dissemble with our double hearts if that be true also which immediately goes before They speak deceitfully every one to his neighbour And as simplicity is banished from our hearts and tongues so from our actions as we have double hearts double tongues so we have double hands and love double dealing So that we may cry with David Help Lord for there is not a godly man left the faithfull are minished from amongst the children of men They speak deceitfully every one to his neighbour they do but flatter with their lips and dissemble with their double heart Psal 12. 1 2. And here I could be well contented to break off this point and passe to another without discending to any particulars but that I see two sorts of men so directly in my way that I must needs salute them before I goe both which although they converse and live amongst the Lords sheep yet in nothing save in the outward appearance they resemble sheep Beware of them for they come to you in sheeps Cloathing but inwardly they be ravening wolves Or if they will needs be called sheep I will be so bold as call them as they deserve Rotten sheepe Introrsum turpes speciosus pelle decora their hearts are rotten they are wholly corrupted they have nothing but a faire sheeps-skin to cover and conceale their inward deformities from the eyes of the world The first is he that wears a vizard of Religion the other that under a cloak of Law and consequently of Justice worâ—eth his owne private intendments with the losse and hinderance of other men The fiâ—st shrouds himself under God the second under the King both damnable hypocrites and seeing the Scripture will warrant us to call every hypocrite a Fool we may call the first of these
undique undique pontus So that it hath cost me one dayes travell already and is like to put me yet to more before I shall be able to waft it over The last time I spake in this place upon this occasion this Scripture was divided into two streames First An incouragement against all humane and mundane feares Secondly A reason For it is your Fathers c. In the first of these 1. A dehortation 2. The object of it Flock 3. The quantity Little In the second First a gift a Kingdome 2. The Donor or Grantor your Father 3. The Grantees not to all but to his children You 4. The manner of conveyance in Franck Almes He gives it 5. The cause impulsive or the consideration not Faith nor foreseen works nor any thing in man but that love wherewith from everlasting he loved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is your Fathers good pleasure Or Your Father is well pleased I began with the object and made it the subject of my speech at that time and therein observed first the unity of Christs Church it is but one Flock Secondly the quality of the members a Flock of Sheep not a heard of Swine c. So farr already We are now to come to the second branch the quantity of Christs Church A few Matth. 7. A remnant Rom. 9. 27. A little Sister Cant. 8. 8. A little City whose inhabitants are few beleaguered by a mighty King Satan and preserved by the wisedome of a poor man Christ So Olympiodorus expounds that of Eccles 9. 13. A little Flock here in my Text Little in two respects First little in the esteeme of the World Secondly little in comparison with the World From which two respects we may gather these two propositions 1. Those that are in the sight of God the dearest are commonly in the eyes of men of meanest and basest esteeme 2. The number of true Beleevers is little being compared with the World The former of these for I must handle them severally although to a naturall man it may at the first blush rather seem a Philosophicall Paradox then a Theologicall conclusion especially seeing man naturally desires that which is good and what he desires he loves and the better any thing is the more hee loves it and the more he loves it the more he esteemes it Yet he that is acquainted with the Oracles of God and the writings of the Ancient and the practice of present times and finds what befell the Patriarcks and Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists and Martyrs and Confessors and Christ himselfe and the best in all Ages since the Serpent began to bite the heel of the Womans Seed and sees what miseries they endured what indignities they suffered in what account and estimation they were had in the World will rather take it for an undoubted principle then a disputable Probleme That which David spoke of himselfe or of Christ whereof he was a figure was true of all Prophets and Patriarchs before and in his time I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people all that see me have me in derision Psal 22. 6 7. We are a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and derision to them that are round about us Psal 79. 4. Paul speaks or himselfe and the rest of the faithfull in his time Wee are made a gazing stock to the World and to Angels and to men We are fooles we are despised we are made the filth of the World and of-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. And that which the Pagans spoke of one they meant of all that were of his profession Bonus vir Caius Sejus sed mutus tantum quód Christianus Nomen non crimen in nobis damnatur ignotam sectam vox sola praedamnat quia nominatur non quia revincitur saith Tertullian And yet to say the truth they spared no lyes to excuse themselves and make Christians more odious to others Pliny calls Christianity a wicked and excessive superstition Christià ni per flagitia invisi saith Tacitus And againe Exitialis superstitio Christianorum the deadly superstition of Christians Christiani genus hominum novae ac maleficae superstitionis saith Suetonius These were but small crimes they were Idolaters troublers of States overthrowers of Empires Atheists with Diagoras Worshippers of the Sun with the Persians incestuous like Oedipus Man-eaters like Thyestes and what not And what marvaile that these should finde such entertainement with strangers when their Master found no better entertainement with his owne but was accounted as Isaiah long before had foretold a man forsaken and contemned of men Isa 53. A deceiver a Samaritane a Wine-bibber a freind of Publicans and Sinners nay a Witch a Sorcerer whom none of the Rulers or of the Pharisees but a few ignorant and cursed people which knew not the Law made any reckoning of John 7. 48. I dare not spinn along this thred to our times neither is it needfull I should seeing these present dayes doe sufficiently demonstrate my proposition to be true I speak not of the Beast and those that have its mark in their foreheads and right hands between whom and such as are sealed with the Seale of the living God there must needs be immortale odium nunquam sanabile vulnus a wonderfull great antipathy as between the Serpents and the Womans Seed I count little how little these account of us it is indeed a singular honour to be dishonoured by them I speake not I say of these though these do sufficiently confirme the truth of my proposed Doctrine It is well known would God I might be found a lyer that even in our English Church which is fled out of Babylon and professeth her selfe to be a follower of the Lamb whethersoever he goeth such as yet carry the most evident and apparent mark of Gods Sheepe in their foreheads are not by professed Enemies but by many thousands which in outward profession joyne with them counted the excrements of Christians and out-cast of all things and branded with the odious names of Precisians Catharists Puritanes and I wot not what odio est in hominibus innocuis nomen innocuum as Tertullian spoke of Christians in his time Mistake me not I desire to be counted a Son of our English Church and am not come to make an Apology for our Donatists that have burst the unity of Gods Net because of the bad Fish that are within it and have leapt out of Gods Fold because of the Goates and have forsaken his Field because of the Tares and his floore because of the Chaff which they finde mingled with the Wheat those that will live in no Church on Earth but such as is without spot or wrinkle must as Constantine said to Acesius a Novatian Bishop make Ladders for themselves to climbe into Heaven here is no place for them under the Sun Neither go I about to patronise such as agree with us in
be a great Eclipse of the Moone signified unto them by a Messenger that he was a Prophet sent unto them from the great God of Heaven and Earth and that if they would not furnish him and his company with such things as they wanted God whose Prophet he was would utterly destroy them In token whereof quoth he the next night at such an houre the Moone shall loose her light they for all this continued in their obstinacy and scorned his threatnings At the houre named the Moone by degrees entring into the shadow of the earth was at length in those parts for a space quite darkened which when the Barbarians saw presently they ran unto Columbus they fell down at his feet they honoured him as a man they worshipped him as a God they offered themselves and whatsoever was theirs to be wholly at his service Verily the Papists do Columbus great wrong who for this witty shift deserves rather the name of a Prophet amongst them then that great Elias of the new World Francis Xaverius for his juggling Tricks in those Parts deserves the name of a waker of Miracles To end this Point Seeing it is a matter of such difficulty to distinguish a true Prophet from that which is false both because they are of things to come the truth whereof cannot be sifted out before the time be expired and though they have naturall causes yet be they such as cannot be known unto men and if they could yet seeing as already hath been proved the Infidels and Pagans have had their prophesies let the Papists prove the gift of Prophesy to be perpetual in their Church which they can never do and let them bring us as great Catalogues of their Prophesies as they do of their Miracles and lying Wonders a thing not impossible to men of such rare invention but let none from these slender Premises infer this conclusion that there is the true Church of God but rather let him undoubtedly beleive that the words of my Text are verified of these men Many shall say unto me at that day Lord Lord have not we by thy name prophesied c. Let us not think that the Precept of the Law was given in vaine If there arise a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreames and give thee a Signe and a Wonder and the Signe and Wonder which he hath told thee shall come to passe saying Let us follow strange Gods as these men do thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soule Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Thus much of the first the second followeth A man may be a Preacher of the Gospell and a meanes of saving others and be damned himselfe I have a long Journey to go and the time allotted me but short so that I cannot stand upon the proofe of this Proposition neither is it needfull I should having no Donatists no Anabaptists to impugne let it suffice to add unto my Text the words of the Apostle Phil. 1. 15. Some preach Christ through envie and strife truly for all that not sincerely else would not the Apostle have added that which followeth I therein joy yea and in that will joy This Sermon upon the Mount of which my Text is a Branch was preached at the Consecration of the twelve Apostles of which number Judas was one whom a while after he sent abroad to preach the Gospell then called he the twelve Disciples and sent them to preach the Kingdome of God and to heale diseases and they went through every Town preaching the Gospell and healing every where Luk. 9. 2. 6. For all Judas his preaching and healing he did not preach unto nor heale himselfe it had been good for him that he had never been born Matth. 26. The first Use and Inference of which let me â—rave your patience to spend some time shall concerne the hearers of the word It may lesson them not to have the truth of the glorious God in respect of persons as Iames speakes or that I may expresse my selfe in other words that they do not forsake or neglect a truth preached because the life of the Speaker is offensive and scandalous Saul may prophesie and Caiphas may prophesie and Iudas may prophesie And many shall say unto me at that day Lord Lord have not we by thy name prophesied Shall not Saul be credited because he is rejected why not is not Saul also amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 19. Shall Caiphas his prophesie not be esteemed because he took away the life from the Lord of life surely yes for this spake he not of himselfe but being high Priest that yeare he prophesied that Jesus should die for the Nation Ioh. 11. 51. Shall Iudas his Sermons be set at nought because he is a damned Reprobate himselfe surely no For whosoever shall not receive you nor heare your words it was spoken to the twelve of which Iudas was one Truly I say unto you it shall be easier for them of Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment then for that City Matth. 10. 14. 15. Oh then shall any man be such an Enemy to his own Salvation as that if the life of his Teacher be misliked he will therefore set at nought the word of God truly though not sincerely delivered what were this but to reject God himselfe as he saith unto Samuel It is not thee but me whom they haue rejected 1 Sam. 8. 7. The word of God is a Touch-stone to try every mans Actions whether they be Gold or Drosse it is a line and squa re to make us fit Stones for Gods Temple Now shall I mislike the Touch-stone because the Gold is counterfeit shall I make fit the Rule for the Stone and so make it a Lesbian Rule especially if it be a rough and unhewed Stone and as yet not fit for that building whereof Christ Jesus is the corner Stone If I be sick unto death shall I refuse physick because I mislike the Physician or because he will not take the same physick himselfe An tibi cum fauces urit sitis aurea quaeris Pocula cum esurias fastidisomnia praeter Pavonem rhombumque When thou art thirsty will thou refuse Drink unlesse it be given thee in a guilded Bowle When thou art hungry will no Meat content thee but Patridges and Pheasants Surely thou hast too dainty a Stomack it commonly falls out otherwise men that are hungry will not refuse wholesome meat though they have no good opinion of the Party that reacheth it and when they are thirsty they will not refuse Drink though it be given them in a woodden Dish Shall a man have a care of his Body and none of his Soule if my Soule be sick unto death shall I refuse physick because the Physician takes it not himselfe or shall I refuse the bread of life and water of life