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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13010	XI. choice sermons preached upon selected occasions, in Cambridge. Viz. I. The preachers dignity, and duty: in five sermons, upon 2. Corinth. 5. 20. II. Christ crucified, the tree of life: in six sermons, on 1. Corinth. 2. 2. By John Stoughton, Doctor in Divinity, sometimes fellow of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge, late preacher of Aldermanburie, London. According to the originall copie, which was left perfected by the authour before his death.	Stoughton, John, d. 1639.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.	1640 (1640)	STC 23304; ESTC S100130	130,947	258

them new Sepulchers and adore them as the Pharisees did in Christs time If Christ be sufficient then why doe you not make an Index expurgatorius for the Bible as the Jesuites have done already for the Fathers and spung out all but Christ crucified for that is sufficient whereas the Scripture sayes all Scripture is inspired of God profitable c. and Christ himself sayes that he came to fulfill not to disanull the Scripture You heare what the curious Rabbins may object I dare not undertake to relate what answer the Apostle might make them lest I should sinke under the gravitie of so great a person you may presume it was divine sed nostro non referenda sono But yet because it concernes the Text I have in hand very nearely I will endeavour in that respect to give satisfaction Every word of God is pure like Gold tryed in the fire seven times and what was said of the Orator that the addition or detraction of a word would marre the grace or clyp the meaning of their sentence is most true in Gods word and therefore we read this just and severe sanction of his Books authority he that adds to this booke God shall adde to him all the plagues that are written in this booke hee that detracts any thing his name shall be razed out of the book of life and what was said in another case is most true in this not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the least letter nor the least tittle thereof shall passe because not so much as one of them is idle or superfluous And for profit the very leaves thereof are for the healing of the nations and the fruit is the fruit of the tree of life the leaves are physicke and the fruit is meate the fruit is preservative and the leaves are restorative the leaves are health the fruit is immortality for this book is not for sight but for meat as appeares by Iohn who ate the booke that the Angell gave him beside that it is sweeter then the hony and the hony combe as David that hath tasted hath testified How then this resolution of S. Paul doth not abolish the Scripture but establish it for Christ crucified and faith in him is the summe and scope of all the Scripture And thus you see I have overtaken or rather met with the same point and in the same place where I left it the last time for as you may remember after I had treated of the sufficiency of faith in Christ I propounded consequently that it was the summe of Divinitie and the scope of the Scripture that it was the summe of Divinitie as I could I then evinced by casting up the reckoning of both the parts thereof faith and obedience which amounted to no more but this for wee found that Christ was the foundation of faith and the fountaine of obedience the Iacobs Ladder of ascent and descent descent of God to man ascent of man to God and as the Spouse speaks in the Ganticles he is Sigillum cordis Sigillum brachii for he is the stampe of faith in the heart that is Sigillum cordis and he is the stampe of good works in the hand that is Sigillum brachii in the hands the following character but in the heart the leading character for he is both Sigillum cordis and Sigillum brachii as the Spouse speaks in the Canticles Thus is Christ the summe of Divinitie It remaines now then that we should cleare the other that he is the Scope of all the Scripture which I will do first in generall and so leade you on into the particulars In generall this may be demonstrated by that which hath been before delivered for if faith in Christ be the Epitome of the Rule of Divinitie then needs must it be so likewise of the Scripture that containes that Rule and that in a double respect 1. As the immutable substance of the Rule is considered the substance was alway that which leads man to eternall Salvation which is by Christ Iesus only and this is the maine scope of the Scripture in generall For all the sonnes of Adam being guilty of high treason against the most High the hand writing of the Law inditeing us Heaven and earth witnessing against us the Grand jurie of the blessed Angels finding us guiltie our owne consciences answering guilty what remaines but to heare the terrible sentence of condemnation pronounced against us by the mouth of the most just Judge the Lord Almightie Yet the mercy of the Lord was such that when the Law had cast us the Lord called us to pardon And as the Clergie of our Land is priviledged in many cases to have their booke so was it his pleasure to give his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his inheritance his peculiar their booke that by their booke they may be saved and this booke is the booke of the Scripture The Scripture againe is the Letter of the Almightie to the sonnes of men as one cals it indited by God himselfe and the Angell of his great counsell Christ Iesus for so Esay stiles him together with his Spirit penned by his principall Secretaries the holy Prophets and Apostles and sealed with the blood of the Lamb let me goe a little further they are the Literae laureatae the Superscription is To the faithfull the Salutation is Salutem in Christo The Argument is nothing but a Proclamation of a generall pardon in his name to all penitent and believing sinners This is the Summe of the Scriptures in generall and this is the first demonstration that Christ is the summe thereof because Divinitie and it like two twinnes keepe pace with a mutuall correspondency like two parallels runne on in equall extent beginning and ending both together and the summe of the one is the summe of the other and the summe of both is eternall happines which is to bee looked for and can bee found in Christ alone 2. This is the first proportion we find between them the second offers it selfe to your consideration as the Scripture may be accommodated to the mutable circumstances of the Rule according to the difference of time before and after Christ. The Lord made in the beginning duo magna Luminaria the great to rule the day and the lesse to rule the night the Sunne and the Moone Much like to this there be two portions of the light which God hath revealed concerning our salvation given to guide two times the old Testament the lesser light like the Moone to rule the night of ignorance when the Doctrine of the Messiah was more obscurely delivered the New the greater light like the Sun to rule the day of knowledge which the faithfull have injoyed ever since Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse appeared When it was night there must needs be many Ceremonies like many shadowes and many humours by reason of the feeble light and heat the influence of the Moone

XI CHOICE SERMONS PREACHED UPON Selected Occasions in Cambridge VIZ. I. The Preachers Dignity and Duty In five Sermons upon 2. Corinth 5. 20. II. CHRIST Crucified the Tree of Life In six Sermons on 1. Corinth 2. 2. BY JOHN STOUGHTON Doctor in Divinity sometimes Fellow of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge late Preacher of Aldermanburie LONDON According to the Originall Copie which was left perfected by the Authour before his death LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Bellamie Henry Overton Iohn Rothwell and Ralph Smith 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY EARLE OF HOLLAND Baron of Kensington Captaine of His Majesties Guard one of the Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber Chancellour of the Universitie of Cambridge Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and one of His Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell The VViddow of the deceased Authour in testimonie of her humble and thankefull acknowledgement of his noble favour and respect shewed to her dearest Husband in his life time presenteth these ensuing Sermons which are now according to the trust reposed in him published by A. B. To the Reader BE pleased to take notice that here is presented to publike view the true legitimate birth of the Authour whose name it beares He left severall Sermons under his owne hand preached at speciall times and in Auditories of greatest worth and estimation the chiefe of which are now made publike in these ensuing Sermons other of his Sermons were onely taken from his mouth in the publishing of which the best care is and shall be taken to publish them by and compare them with the exactest copies that can be gotten In both you have the Authours mind as neare as can be expressed in his own words without adding or detracting In the latter you shall finde the heads of the Sermons which were all that were last perfected by the Authour in a methodicall Analysis prefixed before them they were his owne both for forme and words onely what he wrote in Latine is translated into English for the benefit of all and the Latine you shall have inserted in the margin in his own words answerable to the severall particulars treated on in the Sermons you may see a proofe of it in the Sermon upon 1 Sam. 2. 30. if it had been sooner thought on you should have found the like in all you may expect it in the rest except in some few which are already in the Presse or prepared for it This shall be the token in every Sermon by which the true birth shall be distinguished from such counterfeits as might otherwise be fathered upon him Be intreated to pardon the slips of the pen in writing and of the Presse in printing and then I hope you shall not finde any materiall imperfections so I commend these labours together with thy selfe to the blessing of God A. B. FIVE SERMONS ON II COR. V. XX. Preached at Cambridge BY JOHN STOUGHTON Doctor in Divinitie sometimes Fellow of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge late of Aldermanbury London Perfected by the Author in his life time 1 Thess 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord. Quanto sublimitas notior tanto humilitas pretiosior Bern. in Epist. Dom. 2. Serm. LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Bellamie and Ralph Smith and are to be sold at their Shop at the three golden Lions in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1640. 2 CORINTH 5. 20. 1. The Connexion and Coherence of the words 1. The occasion of them 1. Imputations cast upon the Apostles 1. Person by reason of his meannesse 2. Calling by reason of his afflictions 2. Removed and taken away 4. Chap. 7. vers where he doth plead for 1. The excellencie of his Function 2. The necessity of his worke though afflictions doe attend him for 1. Hope of reward iuticeth him vers 13. of the 4. Chapter and 10 of the 5. Chapter 2. Feare of Punishment incites him vers 10. 11. 3. Love of Christ constraines him 2. Text it selfe 2. The parts of the Text 1. Institution of an Office 2. Execution of it 3. Explication of the words 1. Subject we 3. degrees of latitude as it respects 1. Himselfe 2. All his fellow Apostles 3. All his fellow Labourers 1. As it respects himselfe he speakes in the plurall number where is 1. The Language of humility 2. A Mysterie of wisdome 2. As it respects all Apostles who do 1. Agree in substance of commission with Ministers 2. Differ in circumstance of execution with Ministers They differ in two things 1. Their Mission was more Authenticall 2. Their Motion more observable 2. Ambassadors 1. Comparison holds betweene Ministers and Ambassadors in three things 1. They are both messengers 2. Both from Princes 3. Both about matters of mutuall behoofe 2. The disagreement is in three things 1. Ambassadors are sent because Princes themselves cannot bee present 2. Ambassadors are to Princes only or free States 3. Ambassadors are set forth with some beseeming port and Pompe 3. As it respects all his fellow-Labourers 3. For Christ who may be conceived 1. As the Author 2. The end of this Ambassage 3. Object of these Ambassadors 4. Doctrine Ministers are Gods Ambassadors 1. Explication 1. The necessity that God should send his Ambassadors to us 1. On mans part miserable extremitie 2. On Gods part most feeling and free compassion 2. The conveniencie that men and meane men should be sent not Angels in three Reasons 1. From the nature of the thing 1. Men have more ordinary and visible converse with men 2. By this meanes man is drawne to God in such a manner as is suitable to his nature 3. By this meanes the gifts of grace are conveighed as by a conduit-pipe by the same nature 2. It is most profitable for man 1. It is a fruit of Christs exaltation and a reall pledge of Gods affection 2. It is a most probable and likely way to bring men to God God deales 1. More familiarly with us 2. More credibly for 1. Men are knowne unto us 2. They cannot deceive others but they must also deceive their owne soule 3. They confirme their owne words with their workes 4. They sometimes set a seale of suffering to their doctrine 3. More effectually 3. It is the strongest bond of love betweene Christians 3. Gods gaines most glory this way 1. He magnifies his owne Power in this 2. Makes tryall of the obedience of his children 2. Proofe by demonstrations taken from the nature of the doctrine 1. The antiquitie of their doctrine 2. Excellencie of their Ambassage 1. Subject of their Doctrine 2. Project of their Doctrine 1. Subject they teach 1. Plainly of the incomprehensible distinction of the Trinitie c. 2. Truly of mans blessed integritie and cursed Apostacie 3. Clearely of a strange marriage the Divine nature with the humane c. 4. Sweetly of humiliation by the Law of vocation by the Gospell c. 2. The project of their Doctrine the salvation

of God and not of us As if he should have said our profession is honourable though our person be contemptible our Ministery is a treasure though we Ministers be but earthen vessels and these very earthen vessells though they have but a base matter yet they have a blessed end for they proclaim to all the world that the excellency of the power is of God and not of us Is it thus might some man say and is there nothing then that comes to your share have you nothing but your labour for your paines is there nothing to be gotten by the Gospell but blowes and persecution Why then you may take all the gaines and put them in your eye as we use to speake and see never a whit the worse and then weep them out againe But I wonder what makes you so faithfull in such a fruitlesse thing why are you so hot for that which yeelds such cold recompence The Apostle besides the excellency of his function alledges three reasons why afflictions did not daunt him and dash him out of countenance but he held on his course and diligence in publishing the Gospell I will but point them out and passe them over 1. From the hope of a blessed reward in heaven from the 13. Verse of the 4. Chapter to the 10. of this 5. 2. From the feare of just punishment and a curse if he should have done the worke of the Lord negligently in the 10. and 11. Verse of this Chapter For we must all appeare c. and though here were weight enough to set the most rusty wheeles a going yet because these two may work in base minds and are in themselves but sinister ends which many that seem to goe streight may looke a squint upon feare in the foreward and reward and hope in the rereward marshall all his forces and love in the maine battell or rather tota in toto tota in qualibet parte animates every one to valour and victory punishment is servile and hope of reward mercenary He addes a third motive which is the peculiar character of a Christian mind and that is love in the 14 vers of this Chap. For the love of Christ constraineth us this is that which winds up his affections to that intention of zeal and fervencie And I pray mark the words Reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive but love hath a compulsive facultie Reward drawes him punishment drives him but love hales him forward to the discharge of his duty Hope like a tender Mother entices him with a reward feare like a severe Master incites him with punishment but love like a Soveraigne Lord commands him Hope hales before him and feare blowes behind him and both on each side row him but love within him like the very soule of obedience teaches him a naturall motion Behold againe a strange agreement force and freedome violent and voluntary necessity and liberty met together and married and which is more the most pure liberty with the most powerfull necessity For the love of Christ constraineth us the sweetest natured affection Love is growne a tyrant and will needs force and ravish the virgin freedome of will which hitherto hath been inviolate Love constrains not by forcible but by loving necessitie as Plato speakes You see three goodly threads which twisted all together have strength enough to draw the most sleepy sluggard out of his bed of sloath but you doe not see how they are fastened to Paul you see three mighty engines which are able to moove him that were immovable but you do not see in what point they touch our Apostle and yet that is the principall point for if these generalities were sufficient why doth not every Vzzah lay hands upon the Arke of God without any checke of justice why doth not every man that is not a stocke or a Stoick that hath any hope or feare or love become a Preacher a publisher of the Gospell Yes I will tell you Paul was an Apostle he had a calling which authorized him to doe what he did and therefore all these wrought upon him and encouraged him to doe it diligently This is the handle on which they all lay hold Now we being Ambassadors for Christ hope invites us and feare commands us and love constraines us to strive for our victory to see for our safety to condescend to your infirmity in the faithfull execution of our ministery and therefore in all earnest obedient and humble manner we pray you be ye reconciled to God I have made bold to crop these few tops of flowers out of this Divine Garden which lies before my text where I must dwell something longer and I meane to scruze the juyce of them into my following discourse And therefore if you find that it shall taste of this coherence you see the ingreedients you need not suspect the operation The summe of the words is the summe of the Word of God they are a little Bible an Enchiridion of the whole volume all the letters are compendiously abbreviated in these few characters all the particular words cast up into this totall summe all the silver sayings reduced into this golden sentence that it may be more portable We pray you be ye reconciled to God for here is the knowledge of God we pray you be ye reconciled to God here is the knowledge of man we pray you be ye reconciled to God here is the knowledge of him that is both God and man we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God here is the knowledge of them that are sent from God to man to bring man to God We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God I shall not be curious in laying out the parts a popular argument will be content with a popular distribution I will but let the words fall into your eares and they will breake themselves into two parts Now therefore we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you be ye reconciled to God You see the words of their owne accord fall into two parts 1. Yee have the Ambassadors 2. The Embassage The Ambassadors in the first words We are Ambassadors for Christ The Embassage in the rest and then the last words of the first part for Christ are as it were the corner stone in which the two buildings are coupled the middle ring in which the two extreames are joyned the communis terminus in which the two parts are continued the joynts upon which they turne themselves and clasp one with another and perhaps I may expresse the same thing in better termes if I call the first the charge the second the discharge the first the institution of an Office the second the execution of it In the first we have one Proposition consisting of a simple antecedent and a triple consequent the antecedent We we are Ambassadors for Christ the primary consequent is Ambassadors We are Ambassadors which is attended with

wanton and lascivious Rhetorick makes the immortall seed of Gods Word more unfruitfull like a sword wrapped in wooll that cannot cut like an Oke embraced with the flattering Ivie that will not thrive and prosper I doe not condemne Rhetorick the genuine tropes and figures in a solid speech are like arrowes in the hand of a mighty man as the Psalmist saith in another case blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them And as the Philosopher said of Oyle observing the use to be good but the abuse to be great Male sit illis cinaedis said he qui rem optimam pessime infamârunt so may I say the use is good but the abuse is great of eloquence and therefore away with these effeminate and unmanly Orators that have cast a shrewd aspersion upon a noble profession As for the modest and sober use that is true of Divinitie which Seneca said of Philosophy that is true of eloquence which he said of wit Philosophia non renunciat ingenio Theologianon renunciat eloquentiae for there is an eloquence in the Scripture which is more then eloquence the Rhetoricians may call theirs an Allurement of the soule but this is a transmigration as I told you theirs may perfundere animum but this doth perfringere they may delight but this doth ravish with a divine Enthysiasme theirs is properly oratory but this is to speake more properly Imperatory which is then most full of Affection when it is most free from affectation theirs is more Scholasticall but this is more majesticall as best becomes the mouth of Princes as the noble Lord of Plesis hath well noted of the stile of the Scripture But the best of their nervi and t●ri the best sinewes and strength is but as Longinus observs of some childish Orators their schoole wit through curiosity ends in folly or frigidity and chilnesse in comparison of this To end this I can beare well that they brag of their Arculae Myrothesia and Lecythi like some deformed woemen of their boxes out of which they draw a painted and greasie beautie But I cannot brook that they should speake of thunder and lightning in their Orators ignorant and silly men as though these fiery Meteors were bred or did appeare in this lower Region so far from Heaven No no as they said once of Christian Souldiers that they were Fulminatrix Legio so I may say of the celestial Hierarchie of the Angels of the Churches the Lords Ministers that is Fulminatrix Regio and if I be not deceived he should not be much amisse that should call the Pulpit the shop of thunder all other Pericles have but brutum fulmem in comparison of that as you may conceive out of that which hath beene spoken and that which is the wonder in this all this is without any pomp or shew not with great pompe but with great weaknesse and infirmity rather which argues the evidence of the Spirit and the power of God the more strongly I conclude therefore As one said of Demetrius Pompeii libertus who spake much but had nothing to doe when Pompey himselfe who did all but said but little I regard not said he what thou sayest but what he doth silently so may we say it skils not so much what the Minister said outwardly as what the Spirit workes inwardly since the efficacie of their words depend not so much upon themselves because they are good orators as upon the Spirit of God because they are Gods Orators Gods Ambassadors I have finished now the explication of the intensive efficacie I must adde a word of their extensive for so I was constrained to call them for distinction sake I meane it thus If you take a view of the whole world you shall scarce find a region of which the Ministers of the Gospell may not say as he in the Poet Quae Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris The Sects of Philosophers were distinguished by the names of Italick and Ionick as Laertius tels us but Religion is characterized and known by the name of Catholike Now wee know there is nothing commonly received but either by the law of nature in morall or by the law of nations in politicall affaires Now the faith of Christ preached by the Ministers being dispersed over all and not imprinted in all by either of those it cannot be but probable that it proceeds from the grace of God who is the God of nature Againe as the great Mathematician said once to the King let me have a place to stand on and I will move the earth implying that the moving of this earth could not be supposed without a firme standing on some other earth granted so the moving of the whole earth by the Ministers to the embracing of the faith must needs evince a fixing of them in Heaven from whence they are sent and the rather because of that great opposition which they find every where which will compell us to grant the former supposition You have seene the Embleme of an earth beseiged round with many windes the Devill on the one side blowing and the Pope the Divels instrument on the opposite side blowing and the Cardinals the Popes agents on each side betweene them blowing and the Turke at another corner blowing and all to shake this earth and yet notwithstanding all these the word is written in it immobilis the word is written in indeleble characters and it is unmoovable and it may well be said of all these blowers as the Orator said of the Athenians comparing them to men running up an Hill they blow hard but runne slow The Earth is the Ministers of the Gospell and that Word which they preach all those and many other lay their heads together to blow it away but all in vaine for the finger of God hath written immobilis upon them and his decree is like the Medes and Persians that cannot be changed but what he hath written he hath written Nulla litura in Decretis sapientum t is true of God and good reason the Spirit as the wind bloweth where it listeth as Christ saith and it is folly at least if not madnesse as Pythagoras speaks to blow against the winds The Word is like the Lampe that is unquenchable in the storie which laughs at the winds ridebis ventos saith he that swell and puffe and blow against it but it cannot blow it out and they that carry it are like the Persian Souldiers which they call immortall of whom the world may say as they did once of the Grecians in that Epigramme whom they thought invulnerable we shoot at them but they fall not downe we wound them and not kill them In a word as Gamaliel said of the Apostles preaching if it be of God it will prevaile we may invert it and say most truly if it prevaile thus against all opposition surely it is of God they are men of his right hand