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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43607	Syntagma theologicum, or, A treatise wherein is concisely comprehended, the body of divinity, and the fundamentals of religion orderly discussed whereunto are added certain divine discourses, wherein are handled these following heads, viz. 1. The express character of Christ our redeemer, 2. Gloria in altissimis, or the angelical anthem, 3. The necessity of Christ's passion and resurrection, 4. The blessed ambassador, or, The best sent into the basest, 5. S. Paul's apology, 6. Holy fear, the fence of the soul, 7. Ordini quisque suo, or, The excellent order, 8. The royal remembrancer, or, Promises put in suit, 9. The watchman's watch-word, 10. Scala Jacobi, or, S. James his ladder, 11. Decus sanctorum, or, The saints dignity, 12. Warrantable separation, without breach of union / by Henry Hibbert ...	Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678.; Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678. Exercitationes theologiae.	1662 (1662)	Wing H1793; ESTC R2845	709,920	522

albeit he was his senior Apostle Both of them are called Eodem titulo fundatores Christiani nominis founders of the Christian name Peter among the Jews Paul among the Gentiles And one presumes to call Paul maximum or summum Apostolum the greatest or highest Apostle The reason may be this because he had more revelations than all of them And here the Rhemists because they would not have their foundation pul'd down upon such terms grow to that malapertness that they affirm that the greatest soveraignty in Gods Church Revel 3.7 attributed unto Christ is given to Peter in these words I have the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Whatsoever ye bind in earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven It in truth is such blasphemy as a godly man of our Church saith as Peter would have rent his clothes if he had heard any man attribute so much unto him For Christ hath the key of David as the onely true Messias which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth This Key can no man have except he were a Messias Besides the words are in the Plural number whatsoever ye bind whatsoever ye loose And thus you have the true doctrine concerning these two false doctrines to my poor ability wherein you see not onely the absurdity of the doctrines but also the absurd grounding of them on these words I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter I would not be curious because saith the Philosopher Accurate refellere stultas sententias stultum est It serves first to teach us not to build our faith on a staggering foundation such as man is Christ was faine to pray to God that Peters faith fail him not Other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. To it let us cleave and not cleave it And secondly whereas Peter is called a rock and the Apostles rocks as they have the true rock in them Christ Jesus It teacheth us to put no difference in respect of authority between them but to give equal respect unto all of them Thirdly all of us are rocks as long as we make this confession Thou art the Son of the ever living God Aug. Sweet was St. Austins Application upon Peters confession which I apply unto every one Endeavour that thou mayest be a rock therefore seek the rock not without thee but within thee thy act is thy rock thy mind is thy rock Let thy house be builded upon this rock that it may not be beaten with any storms of spiritual wickedness Faith is this rock faith is the foundation of the Church if thou be a rock thou shalt be in the Church because the Church is upon a rock All Apostolick and Christian men are rocks saith another This Papists might see were they not rockt asleep on Peter and had not dreamed as a Pope had aut Caesar aut nihil for these words I went up to Hierusalem to see Peter To see him as a friend as a companion not as his Master not as King of the Apostles as Papists would have it but not as God would have it The last part and point here is the time o● Pauls residence with Peter he adode with him fifteen dayes Fifteen dayes to be better acquainted with him Ipse aspectus boni viri delectat Senec. Hierom. Gods children the children of light should delight in the company of one another Cursed is their company that takes pleasure onely in the company of the cursed But godly is their company that loves the company of the godly Fifteen dayes to conferre with him he had no need of great instruction and therefore tarried but a short time with him fifteen dayes Hence we learn that the most learned may not despise to confer with any of his rank albeit he should excel him in gifts This is a fault and must be mended This conference argues also a mutual consent That both of them were of the same mind and agreement This teacheth the Ministers of Gods Word to be always at an agreement in their opinion and albeit there may arise some difference in matters indifferent yet cleave to the foundation be sure that be not shaken or called into question for the foundation of God is sure How should their people ever be at quiet when their shepheards are at variance and ods No strife no wrangling must take place in Christian hearts lest their hearts be consumed in strife and wrangling Ministers as they are messengers of peace so Ministers of peace and therefore never to fall out Pulchrum est concordia cordis oris Moreover he sets down how long he stayed fifteen dayes to shew the absurdity of those false Apostles that thus vexed his soul For how was it possible that he could learn the Gospel of them in so short a space Where we may observe That it is no easy matter to be a Minister of the Gospel This learning is not so easily attained unto Therefore it is a grosse errour of some that no sooner put off the name of Sophister but puts on the name of Minister If they can reckon up Aristotles five Predicables on their fingers ends presently they fall to predication or preaching It were better wait a while hast makes wast saith the Proverb 〈◊〉 longer and fare better Rome was not built in a day no more can it be 〈◊〉 down in a day Thou mayest thunder against it è Rostris but it is not so soon wasted except thou come well provided Thy fourteen years and thy seven years is time too little to furnish thee be not therefore high-minded but fear but labour but wait a while Fifteen dayes Hierome observes a mystery in the fifteen dayes and if it can be found out in fifteen dayes or in fifteen years it is a mystery These are his words Hoc mysterio hebdomadis ogdoadis futurus Gentium Praedicator instruendus erat This mystery is comprehended under the number of seven and eight Seven indeed is called numerus sacer quietarius sacer because it consists of three which is numerus Dei and four which is numerus mundi numerus virtutum cardinalium quietarius because the seventh day is the Sabbath day the day of rest the seventh year the year of rest so in the seventh moneth the trumpet was to sound to the Jubile after so many Sabbaths as make up seven times seven years Levit. 25. which makes forty nine years So eight is called primus numerus and summus in harmonia Thus I have spelled put together who can I cannot And therefore rather than I will be vainly curious in seeking out a mystery where under correction I think there is none I leave this seven and eight at six and seven For all mysteries are wrought by Gods extraordinary and special providence But Paul's abiding here with Peter fifteen dayes

23 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Percolantes culic●m camelum antem absorbentes Pro ve●bialis haec est sententia in eos qui in rebus minimis sunt superslitiosi intermi magna ne●ligunt The world encompassed by him p. 81. neither ever goes without an Erra Pater in his pocket when he lies on his death-bed no● sin troubleth him so much as that he once are flesh on a Friday no repentance can ●expiate that the rest need none He never dreams without an interpretation without a prediction and if the event answer not his exposition he expounds it according to the event Old wives and starres are his counsellers he weares Paracelsian characters for the tooth-ach and a little hallowed wax is his antidote for evils he goes about to have the Crosse still of his right hand c. Superstition will needs obtrude upon Christ Will-worship whether he will or no as the people would once have taken him by force and made him a King John 6.15 Or as the Lycaonians would needs have stollen a sacrifice upon Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. And the Salvages of Nova-Albion upon Sir Francis Drake and his company at their parting with them Superstition is very pleasing to nature and suitable to sense and carnal reason being usually very pompous and costly I have read of a Lady in Paris who when she saw the bravery of a Procession to a Saint she cried out O how fine is our religion beyond that of the Huguenots they have a mean and beggarly Religion but ours is full of solemnity and bravery c. Superstition is for most part not liberal only but prodigal Mic. 5.7 And no wonder when as good works are by Bellarmine said to be Mercatura regni caelestis the price and purchase of heaven It is said of Lycurg●● the Lacedemoni●n that he made a Law that no man should be at very great charge for a sacrifice lest he should grow weary of Gods service yet when the famous carver Phidias advised the Athenians to make the statue of Minerva rather of Marble than Ivory 1. Because more durable this passed with allowance 2. Because lesse chargable at the mention hereof with infinite indignation they commanded him silence Pliny tells us of Alexander the great that when as being yet a youth he cast great store of frankincense upon the Altar and his School-master told him he must not be so liberal till he had subdued the frankincense countreyes When once he had conquered Arabia he sent his School-master a ship full of frankincense largely ex●orring him to worship the gods therewith That mans nature is very forward to superstitious worship willing to take more pains to follow the inventions of man than to keep the institutions of God appears Jerusalem where they ought to have worshipped was neerer unto most of the Israelites than either Dan or Bethel were for Bethel was in the utmost bounds of the South and Dan in the utmost bounds of the North and yet thither would they go to worship the calves And it is further observed by some that the Israelites grew so Zealous in a short time in that abomination that they who dwelt neer Bethel did disdain to worship at Bethel to serve God at their own doors and therefore they would go to Dan and they that dwelt at or neer Dan would go to Bethal to worship Thus the blind votaries among the Papists at this day will needs go a Pilgrimage to the remotest places to Jerusalem and visit the sepulchre c. These long journeys are but a step to them and hard penances they glory in The nature of man will carry him two miles at his own bidding rather than one at Gods How may this shame godly men for their sloth in doing the will of God when they hear how industrious evill men are in doing their own Yea how may it shame them that they should take lesse pains to keep a righteous law than many do to satisfy a filthy lust Diligence is good about that which is good it is good to be zealously affected always in a good matter but Zeal and diligence misplaced how evil are they It is better to creep in a good way than to run in a bad way Even idlenesse is better than such diligence But to be sure Sathan will never check their diligence who are doing his work nor take them off from their pace who are going or galloping his way In vain do they worship me Mat. 15.9 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Who hath required this at your hand Isa 1.12 I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious Act. 17 22. Read Mic. 6.6 7. Col. 2.23 Tradition Additio ad scripturam fit tripliciter in quo additum est 1. Contrarium et est erroris 2● Diversum et est praesumptionis 3. Consonum et est sidel is instructionis It is Humane Mat. 15.2 Divine 1 Cor. 11.2 2 Thes 2.15 and 3 6. A divine ordinance or tradition is a doctrine first delivered from God and written down afterwards for the use of the Church This we are bound to beleeve absolutely An humane ordinance is not written in the Word but delivered from man to man A tradition thus taken is either good or evil according to the subject-matter and intention of men And therefore this is to be beleeved conditionally as it agreeth with the Word The Pharisees had many traditions and unwritten verities pretended to be invented and prescribed them by their Elders that by the observation thereof they might be the better enabled to keep Gods commandements These they stiled complections or perfections because thereby they conceited that the written Law was made more compleat and perfect The like say the Papists of their traditions These whether true or false are delivered by Word 2 Thes 2.15 Writing 2 Thes 2.2 And many errours have come in by wresting and writhing mens writings L. 1. de Tri● c. 3. to another meaning than ever they were intended Thus 2 Pet. 3.16 So Austin was served and he foresaw it I beleeve faith he that some of my readers will imagine Me sensisse quod non sensi aut non sensisse quod sensi That I was in many things of another mind than ever I was indeed And it fell out accordingly for as Baronius witnesseth after Austins death there arose up divers Baron Annal. Tom. 6. Qui ex ejus scriptis male perceptis complures evexerunt errores who by mistaking of what he had written brought in many pernicious errors and avouched him for their Author Why do you transgresse the commandment of God by your tradition Mat. 15.3 2 Thes 2.15 Hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Read Mat. 15.6 Mark 7.3 5 8 9 13. Col. 2.8 .1 Pet. 1.18 Gal. 1.14 2 Thes 2.2 Holy things and places Non revocari possunt ad communem usum quae in sacris usurpantur

Numb 16.37 38 39. Upon the offence of any of the vestals at Rome they had a most excellent way of execution In the Campus sceleratus or field of execution Plutarch in Numa there was made a vault under the earth with an hole left open above whereby one might go down and within it there was a little couch with a burning lampe and a few victuals whether the defiled votary was to be brought through the market-place in a litter so closed up with thick leather that her mournings might not be heard to the moving of pity She being thus brought to the place of execution was let down by a ladder into the hollow cave and the hole presently stopped And the reason why they suffered such a kind of death was because they thought it not fit that she should be burnt with fire which kept not the sacred fire with greater sanctity And it was thought unlawful to punish them by laying violent hands on them because they had in former times served in so holy a function Holiness hath honour Things are called holy Sacrum aliquid dicitur ex co quod ad divi●uvs cultum ordinatur Aquin. either by nature as God who is truly alway and only of himself holy Or by seperation or being set apart to an holy use or end Which Origen calleth Sancta Sanctificata by accession of external holinesse from without So Jerusalem is called the holy City because the City of God where he was worshipped And when we stand in our Churches saith Chrysostom we stand in a place of Angels and Archangels in the Kingdom of God and heaven it self which they that prophane think either by talking sleeping laughing playing or any thing else unbeseeming the service of God may justly fear to be whipt like dogs out of the heavenly Temple and City too For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people Isa 55.7 Yet let us not dote upon the Temple of the Lord but reverently adore the Lord of the Temple putting off our shoes from off our feet when we come to stand upon holy ground that is our sensuality and other sins for Quid pedes saith Erasmus nisi affectus quid pedes calceament●rum onere liberi nisi animus nullis terrenis cupiditatibus oneratus Affections are the feet of the soul keep them unclogged Herods Temple at Jerusalem was set on fire by Titus his souldiers that it could not be quenched And at the same time Apollo's temple at Delphos was utterly overthrown by earth-quakes and thunder-bolts Antiq. and neither of them could ever since be repaired The concurrance of which two miracles saith Godwin evidently sheweth that the time was then come that God would put an end both to Jewish ceremonies and Heathenish Idolatry Beleeve me the hour cometh Ioh. 4.21 23. when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Sacriledge Aquin●s notes it may be committed Here lego doth signifie as much as adimo or aufero in which sensewe cal him sacrilegum qui legit i. e. qui adimit et a●●ert sacra vel 1. In personam when an Ecclesiastical man is abused 2. In locum when the Church is abused or profaned 3. In rem when things dedicated to holy uses are otherwise imployed And this last kind may be committed three ways Quando 1. Sacrum de sacro aufertur as the consecrated Vessels out of the Temple 2. Non sacrum de sacro if a thief shall break open a Church to steal away private treasure hid therein 3. Sacrum de non sacro when the Church is robbed of her possessions and endowments If many would examine themselves according to this rule they would assuredly conclude they deserve the whip turning claustra into castra This Luther complained much of in his time Luth. in Gen. 47. Homil. in Jocl 3.5 O●im Coenobi is ●a●ita●ant monstra Papist● Nuncin Coen●blis habitant et monstra Rapist● That even in the Reformed Churches Parishes and Schools were robbed of their due maintenance as if they meant to starve us all Spoliantur Parochiae Scholae non aliter acsi fame necare nos velint The like saith Gualther Non desunt Pseudo-evangelici There want not such False-Gospellers amongst us who restore not the Church her wealth pulled out of the Papists ●ingers But make good that saying of one P●ssid●bant Papistae possident Rapist● Papists had Church-livings and now Rapists have gotten them A Priest in Jerusalem the City being besieged took all the Goblets and Vessels of silver not so much as sparing the little golden Pitchers which Augustus and his wife sent to the Temple and did distribute amongst the people and said Without ●e●r we may use these divine things seeing we fight for God and his Temple therefore he said it was safe for them to drink those things that were kept for the Priests sacrifices He also took the wine and oil and they anointed themselves without fear Non equidem recusabo dicere quae dolor jubet Ioseph de ●e● Iud. l. 6. c. 16 Puto si Romani contra noxios venire tardassent a●t ●iatu terrae devorandam fuisse civitatem aut diluvio perituram aut fulmina ac Sodomae incendia passuram Sexcenta millia mortuorum portis ejecta quorum sepulturae erant ex oppido ejectio Sacriledge is a very dangerous sin Cacus met with his match when he robb'd Hercules Mercury say the Poets had a mind to steal Jupiter's thunderbolts but durst not meddle lest he should speed as Prometheus had done for stealing fire The Eagle in the fable that stole a peece of flesh from the Altar and carried it together with a live-coal that stuck to it to his nest set his young and all on fire Dionysius that robb'd his God was cast out of his Kingdom though he was wont to boast that he had it bound to him with chains of Adamant And Belshazzar paid dear for drinking in the bowls of the Sanctuary In a word Such do but as the fish that swallows the hook it proving as unfortunate and fatal to them as the Gold of the Temple of Tholose did to Scipio's souldiers of which whoever carried any part away never prospered afterwards I might be large in giving instances this way Only consider what a sad end befell Cardinal Wolsey whilst he sought more to please the King than God as himself said And what a revenging hand of God pursued five of his Servants that were instrumental for him in a sacrilegious enterprise Whereupon Scultetus wisheth Annal. 3 32. Vtinam his similibus exemplis edocti discant homines res semel Deo consecratas timidè attrectare I would men would take heed by these and the like examples how they meddle with things once consecrated to God!

of such difficulty that if he withdraw the supporting assistance of his active Spirit from us we cannot hold out Do we preach 't is as the Spirits gives us utterance do we pray the Spirit helpeth our infirmities do we beleeve he increaseth our faith and helps our unbelief do we live the life of grace Christ liveth in us by his Spirit Are we constant in our profession and holy exercises of Religion that constancy cometh from above by the effectual working of the divine power In all these his grace is sufficient for us and in doing them his Spirit worketh with us Thus much concerning Gods good will towards men expressed in spiritual matters As for his good will in temporal it is as clear as the sun we need no demonstration But because the extraordinary favours of God may not slip out of our memories think upon our deliverance from that intended invasion in eighty eight how that part of the invaders became as weak as water and part were over whelmed in the depths of the sea alive like Pharaoh and his host Think upon that horrid work of darkness the Gunpowder plot how vain the conspiratours were in their imaginations The Lords stretched out arme overcame the one his all-seeing eye discovered the other See thy Regína Dierum and by his Providence were both brought to nothing Think upon the Stupendious works of Divine Providence in the wonderful safegarding and happy restoring of our gracious King to which I have abundantly spoken upon occasion Without doubt all these and infinite more are sensible tokens of Gods good will in Christ toward us Wherefore 1. We may with comfort confidently approach to the throne of grace where we may receive of the Father whatsoever we ask in his Sons name for for his sake he will deny us no good thing seeing that in him he beares good will toward us Thus much the occasion of this text may assure us of which is the incarnation and birth of our Saviour It being the foundation of all our joyes and all good things we enjoy By it God comforts Adam the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Jacob is comforted by the vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth and the Angels ascending and descending by it the mystery whereof may be this The ladder is Christ the foot of it on earth noteth his humanity man of the substance of his mother born in the world the top reaching to heaven noteth his divinity Job 19.25 God of the substance of his Father begotten before all worlds perfect God and perfect man by which union of natures he hath joined earth and heaven together that is God and man The going up and down of Angels by the ladder sheweth how by Christ the service of Angels is purchased unto us all which accordeth with that in Joh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you faith our Saviour hereafter ye shall see the heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Job again comforts himself in this that his Redeemer of his own flesh as the word signifieth liveth In the Old Testament they which sought to God came to the Ark or Propitiatory and there were they heard and received Gods blessing Now Christ God and man is instead thereof his Godhead being the fountain of all good things and his flesh or Manhood a pipe or conduit to conveigh the fame unto us Wherefore let us rejoyce in God our Saviour and comfort our selves in his good will towards men Moreover 2. We may the better bear temptations and afflictions and slight the assaults of the world That which in Spaniards deserveth the greatest commendations is an unmoved patience in suffering adversity accompanied with a settled resolution of overcoming them This if we attain unto in Christianity will shield us from despair and distrust for we may be well assured that God to his distressed servants is the neerest when he seemeth furthest then sweetest when he seemeth sowrest and then up in wrath to revenge our wrongs when the world doth think he hath forgot us For still he beares goad will towards us Lastly we must acknowledge Gods good will through Christ to be the sole cause of all our happiness It is a true Maxime in Divinity Publisht in Austins time Vniversa salus nostra Aug. Ned. Cap. 34. magna miserecordia tua Our safety on earth our salvation in heaven proceed from thy abundant mercies O Lord. Thus the Father the Son and the holy Ghost do all join together in one immutable resolution to prove their good will towards men The issue whereof cannot be but exceeding good For as Astronomers do well observe that when three of the superiour lights do meet in conjunction it bringeth forth some admirable effects So now seeing that these three infinite lights of the world three persons of the Deity are met together in one good-will towards men this benevolous aspect produceth this admirable effect that all true beleevers shall be hereby exalted into glory For which with thankful hearts we ought ever to pay the tribute of obedience And in assurance whereof to rest in Gods promises which can never faile In his name I end as I did begin To whom as the Angels did before us and duty ever binds us be rendred all honour and glory both now and for ever Amen The Necessity of CHRISTS PASSION AND Resurrection ACTS 17.3 Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead I Am induced by these words to relate the greatest wonder of the world wherein is comprehended the profoundest Mystery of our salvation That the Son of God should become the Son of man that the Lord of glory should come in the forme of an humble and dejected servant that the Sun of righteousnesse should be deprived of light and then that the sole Author of our life should be put to death Weigh but the reason and the wonder is the greater It was for our redemption all this was effected and can there be a greater wonder then that he that knew no sin would putting on mortality suffer unutterable tortures both in soul and body and be content to die to save those that knew nothing but sin certainly there cannot be a greater wonder The most professed enemy to sinners herein did become to sinners the most professed friend He is ready to save who might be more ready to destroy But mercy binds the hands of justice and justice is overcome of mercy The eternal wisdome beholding from above with the gracious eye of pay the forlorne estate of mankind after their apostasy and treacherous violation of the sacred Covenant contrived a project not to be contrived by the Art of man whereby our Redemption should be wrought and liberty obtained Gods love to us did exceed our sins Our sins are not so great are not so many but his love can cover them and his mercy pardon them And where men come

some sort rest satisfied Had that Apostate Julian disburdened his soul of all praejudicate opinions had he pondered divine truths as was requisite had he look't into it as into the word of God he never had blasphemed it in saying Vidi legi contempsi I saw it read it contemned it to whom learned Basil modestly replied as Chamier that famous French-man reports out of history Vidisti legisti non intellexisti si intellexisses non contempsisses sawedst thou it readst thou it thou never understoodst it hadst thou understood it thou hadst never contemn'd it Of so great authority and so full of divine majesty are the Oracles of God as that in an understanding man they beget an awful reverence and mightily prevail for an obedient subscription with those that studiously look into it never man spake as Christ never man as God Now who those are that should diligently enquire after the will of God and look into the perfect Law of liberty is a point worthy our enquiring after None but such as exempt themselves from God exempt themselves from this task All are bound to it but who will observe it Minister and People as they combine to honour God so to know him and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ The Knowledge of whose will glides not into the soul of man by natural instinct or moral infusion but by the Spirit and the Word of truth the Spirit illuminating the Word informing our understanding In which word we that are Pastours of the flock of Christ above others must use assiduous scrutiny 't is our profession to know more than ordinary Act. 20.28 as appointed in an higher sphear to be Overseers of the Church of God Hence the Spirit terms the Prophets Seers because they saw the will of God which others also saw by them 1 Cor. 4.1 and the Apostles with their successours stewards of the mysteries of God and Embassadors for Christ to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 En flexanimam suadae medullam whose knowledge by preaching must be diffused others must reap the benefit of our paines God makes us knowing men to make knowing men which many have taken on them to do but some neglect it some can but will not some will not because they cannot some cannot and yet presume As for them that can and will not I pity them they shall be beaten with many stripes as for them that will not because they cannot I slight them though richer than my selfe they are but dumb dogs as for them that cannot yet presume the world may jeere them they make the Pulpit undervalued But for Gods sake my brethren let us that can will and endeavor when we speak from the father of languages to deliver our embassage not in an ill one lest we expose our selves to a scornful censure nor in a too obscure and affected one labouring more for fine words than fit ones lest affecting the praise of humane eloquence we feed the people as Heliogabalus did his Parasites with painted dishes as those fed the eye not the body so the other tickle the eare but profit not the soul 'T is truth that one speakes there is a Magick in the tongue can charm the wild mans motions and though God hath chosen by weak things to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 yet experience shews that in all times a washed language hath much prevailed The Scriptures are pen'd in a tongue of a deep expression in every word almost a Metaphor illustrating by some allusion How political is Moses how Philosophycal and Mathematical is Job how massy and sententious Solomon in his Proverbs how quaint and amorously affected in his Canticles how grave and solemn in his Ecclesiastes and how poetical and full of heavenly raptures is his father in his Psalmes Christs doctrine astonished the Jewes Paul pleaded at the barr in a transcendent straine of eloquence and in dispute was subtile In a word it suites not with the Majesty of so divine an Art as is that of winning soules to be presented in sordid rags but in a graceful trimme yet plain Confections that are cordial are not the worse but the better for being guilded Divinity as it must not lasciviate so being well ordered by significant words placed in a native decency angles the soul and lifts it up to heaven As Herod therefore bade the wise men diligently to search for the young child Jesus and when they had found him to bring him word that he might go and worship him also so I advise my brethren accurately to look into this perfect law of liberty and when they have found what there is hidden by constant preaching to divulge it By this means the perverse transgressor is called and converted and Gods pleasure before neglected is observed I repeat St Peters exhortation feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tant●m ut nos pascat v●stiat not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 that every one of you may say with the Apostle of the Gentiles As much as in me lieth I am ready to preach the Gospel unto you Rom. 1.15 Quicquid in me situm est Promptum est Which done in sincerity not having an eye to the airy applause of men nor wordly commodity but to the glory of God immortal in the salvation of the souls of the hearers when the chief shepheard shall appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 As for silent Ministers not silent by authority but through insufficiency I should wish them well did I wish they never had that calling unto which I dare say they were never truly called but compel'd by necessity on whom avarice laid on the supposedly holy hands By which disorder of ordering broken tradesmen and such of the giddy-headed multitude untuter'd in the Word of God who never knew other Art than how to deceive this holy function is prophaned the Church scandalized the well-deserving kept in penury ignorance gets head impiety propagates and the sheep of Christ with these Wolves in sheep-skins are pitifully worried This tends to verifying Winifrids Apothegme changing one word In old time there were golden Pastors and wooden Chalices but now golden Chalices and wooden Pastors as of old the Jewes had a royal Temple but a rascal Priesthood To redress this abuse the remedy lies in the Imposers hands would the reverend Fathers of the Church hold in their hands from imposition and Patrons theirs from Donation until merit claimed it Clerus Angliae stupor mundi these unworthy vermine would never appear and Churchmen would gain their ancient reputation I make bold therefore to report what an honourable person once writ to his most excellent Majesty of famous memory learned King James They must rather leave the Ark to shake as it

Decalogus explicatus a living Decalogue his life is a comment on the commandments He walks up to his principles and priviledges answering his Gospel-light with a Gospel life Ille plus didicit quiplus facit A grain of grace is better than many pounds of gifts Obedience is better than sacrifice These lead to the top of all which is blessednesse This man shall be blessed in his deed Mark this against the Papists the Apostle doth not say for but in his deed 'T is an evidence of our blessednesse though not the ground of it the way though not the cause There is a blessednesse annexed to obedience not for the works sake but out of the mercy of God see then that we so carry as that we may come within the compasse of the blessing His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ than his mother in bearing him Luke 11.28 DECVS SANCTORVM OR THE Saints Dignity PSAL. 149.9 This honour have all his Saints HOnor Christianorum Crux Christi The Cross of Christ is the Christians glory God forbid that any of Christs flock should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ There is pain indeed but there is pleasure too the pain is outward but the pleasure inward the pain is for a moment lasting but the pleasure time out of mind everlasting There is trouble in the Cross but hold out unto the end and the consequence of it will be rest world without end All afflictions are but light in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory that crowns them Besides the joy of the Holy Ghost is wrought in the hearts of the afflicted members of Jesus Christ weighs down the burden of that sorrow that is laid upon them Hence it is that they faint not for though the outward man perish yet is the inward man renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 It is an infallible Maxim dictated by Gods Spirit That they that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 1 Cor. 4.12 13. But observe the magnanimity of the Martyrs Though they be reviled yet they bless though they be persecuted yet they suffer it though they be defamed yet they bless though their blood run down about their ears yet they rejoice forasmuch as they are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed they may be glad also with exceeding joy For whosoever suffereth reproach or any kind of persecution for the name of Christ keeping a good conscience happy are they for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them and God on their part is glorified The Church of God which is the Congregation of Saints is compared to a City which is besieged ab hostibus oppugnatur non expugnatur which is assaulted but not vanquisht by any adverse power the gates of hell cannot prevail against it 1 Pet. 4.13 14. The Bush that Moses in a vision saw burning but not consuming did signifie the Church of God then in Egypt burning in the fiery furnace of tribulation yet free from consumption You may easily conceive the reason God was there Here am I said he to Moses Where the Lord is there is safety No power can destroy that which is supported by the highest power Vritur non comburitur the bush the Church doth burn but consumes not away it is preserved for greater glory and greater glory reserved for it For no doubt but the Saints the holy ones of the Holy One of Israel shall at length have the upper hand of their enemies Principalities powers and dominions do set themselves against them but what of that Principalities powers and dominions must submit unto them Wherefore Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgment written This honor have all his Saints Observe in these words these three parts 1. A Subject and that is Gods Saints 2. An Attribute which is a special honour proper and peculiar to the Saints exprest in the precedent words and here implied This honour 3. The latitude and extent of this attribute of honour all Gods Saints are partakers of it This honour have all his Saints The Subject must be the first subject of my discourse There are two sorts of Saints 1. Seeming Saints and 2. Real Saints Seeming Saints are whose Religion is terminated in outward appearances None can have a fairer outside none a fouler inside Whereupon our Saviour compares them by the name of Hypocrites to painted sepulchres and others give them the plausible appellation of white Devils Painted sepulchres are glorious without but within nothing visible but rottenness White Devils appear like Angels of light but do but search them and you shall find them Angels of darkness Devils though white as the Devil would have it and as the Negro's paint him as a colour contrary to their own Multa videntur quae non sunt Many good things appear by them but not one good thing can be found in them Our Saviour deciphered them by the name of Wolves in Sheeps clothing harmless in profession but in truth of a wolvish disposition like those in the Revelasion that said they were Jews and were not but the Synagogue of Satan These are Saints in the Devils name and of his making whose damnation is just and from whom good Lord deliver us Let us leave them as nothing to do with this Text nor this Text with them which hath only to do with Gods Saints And take this note with you Si vita sanct●rum nobis acerit appellatio sanctorum nihi proderit saith reverend Davenant The name of Saints will nover do us good if we lead not the good life of Saints There are real Saints Saints of God and they are Saints two ways 1. By Imputation 2. By Renovation By Imputation for to them the sanctity and righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed in which respect the Saints gone were the Saints living are perfect in this lise John 17.19 Ephes 5.27 Tales nos amat Deus quales futu●i sumus ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito Saith an Ancient Councel For the holiness of our dear Saviour in a bottomless mercy and goodness imputed to them is in it self most perfect Of this our Saviour speaks when he saith For their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also may be sanctified through the truth And the Apostle delivers this doctrine thus That Christ loved his Church and he gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Were it not that they are not imputed and that Christs righteousness is