and almost eaten out the pure gold of Apostolicall Doctrine And as this is most iust so is it in it selfe in naturall reason most probable We see by experience that he who hath held a coard with both hands if hee let goe the hold with one he is the lesse able to hold fast with the other The Anchor of our hope is pitcht not below in the bottome of the Sea but aboue in the highest heauens with both hands wee hold fast this Cable the one sticking close vnto God by holding to his truth in Religion the other by remaining constant in puritie of conuersation If we doe but let slacke one of these our hands though the Angell of God yea God himselfe should crie loud vnto vs Tene quod habes yet hardly shall wee bee able to maintaine our hold with the other The last meanes of losse is Dolo by Fraud 3. Dolo. which is practised vpon vs by the Deuill by the world and the flesh by wicked and lewd company imployed as their instruments and this engine likewise worketh vpon vs in both the obiects both of Pietie and of Honestie both in dogmaticis in the doctrine of faith as also in moralibus in peruerting our liues to vitiousnesse The deceit in this kinde is different from the former because there the Deuill gaineth ground of vs onely by Surreption possessing our minds and affections with present apprehension and titillation of pleasure which so transporteth vs as that the vnderstanding is lulled asleepe and considereth not the losse and danger But in this a kinde of Compensation is pretended by way of bargaine or exchange and our wandering soules are possessed with an opinion of Truth and Pietie when wee runne headlong into iniquitie or errour Heere I say men are dealt withall as by Commutation to leaue that which they haue for another doctrine which is pretended to be better though indeed nothing but counterfeit and gilded ouer with the forged lustre of beautie and ornament of outward pompes feeding the eye and possessing the captiuated senses of the simple wherein wee behold the deceitfull boldnesse of the great enemy and his instruments who being as Saint Peter speaketh themselues the seruants of corruption 2. Pet. 2.19 yet promise libertie to them whom they seduce And this is that snare of the Deuill wherein they are caught to doe his will which as it is powerfull in inticing vnto morall crimes so much more doth it worke vpon the weaker members of the Church to seduce them from the truth of the Gospell and to carry them vp and downe with euery wind of doctrine But who or what am I reuerend honourable and Christian Auditory that presume to take this taske in hand to vtter this Text with these polluted lips Can I vndertake to speake the words of exhortation vnto Constancie who my selfe haue been so late an example and spectacle of Inconstancie Can Tene quod habes sound well out of the mouth of him whose actions haue spoke too loud Emisi amisi quod habui I haue left and lost that which I had and ought to haue kept So many worthy Spectators and iudicious Auditors as I behold this day may be as so many witnesses or accusers to stop my mouth or at least to open it to professe that I am vnworthy to bee a Physician to others who haue had most need to heare that voyce of Cura teipsum Physician heale thy selfe Most true it is that my foot hand and heart haue been taken and too long held in the Snare of the Fowler and carried away captiue into Babylon where if I consider mine owne demerits I deserued to bee held in the chaines of spirituall captiuitie and to be kept perpetuall prisoner in the dungeon of Error Superstition and blindnes wherein my guilt hath bin the greater in that mine hands haue not been beaten off from this Hold by the violent force of persecuting terrour but haue been willingly and wilfully stolne away by mine owne corrupt and carnall passions For which mine obliquitie and grieuous defection as formerly by penne so heere by voyce before this Congregation I humbly craue pardon of our most reuerend mother the renowned Church of England then also of the spirituall Fathers these Churches lights and guides the Lords Bishops and of my venerable brethren the rest of the Ministery and generally of this and all other Christian congregations whom no doubt I haue scandalized But aboue all I implore the mercy and indulgence of my heauenly Father that hee will vouchsafe to imbrace mee his returning Prodigall Child giuing him all humble and hearty thankes that hee hath reduced vnto his fold this wandering and diseased Sheepe and to our euer blessed Sauiour for daigning in his mercy to looke backe vpon mee with his gracious eye as he did vpon his lapsed Apostle It was thy mercy Oh sweet Sauiour which raised me out of that stupiditie and made mee to haue a liuely sense of thy Truth and mine owne falshood and therefore as thou diddest vpon the fall of thine Apostle iudge him not the lesse fit but the more able thereupon to establish others by saying vnto him Eu tu conuersus confirma fratres tuos I am therefore not discouraged but the more emboldned by the sense of my former diseasednesse to stirre vp others vnto constancy in holding that faith which they haue receiued Thus much for this precept as it concerneth euery christian soule and my selfe in particular to hold his owne portion that he hath least hee bee left poore and naked and blind and miserable when as perhaps hee thinkes himselfe rich and well clad and wanting nothing Now right honourable and beloued Auditory giue me leaue to insist vpon that subiect which I take to be principally here intended namly the inculcation of this precept of constancy vnto the collectiue members of Christ namely particular visible Churches and Congregations To them the Spirit as to a great and numberlesse Auditory preacheth this wholesome Sermon of Perseuerance Thou visible particular Church of God Mat. 13. Pom. 13. whosoeuer thou art that hast receiued the Word with gladnesse that hast cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light that hast abandoned the vanities of Paganisme and the crooked peruerse errours which follow mans naturall corruption thou that hast submitted thy neck to the gentle yoake of Christs Crosse imbraced the glad tidings of the Gospell and doctrine of sincere faith Rom. 1.16 which is powerfull vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Stand fast in that which thou hast receiued striue and wrastle for that faith quae semel tradita est sanctis which was once giuen to the Saints Iude. v. 3. loose not by fainting orstarting that Crowne of Honour sacred reputation which thou hast worthly got amongst other Christian Churches Imitate those holy Confessors and Martyrs quorum nomina in benedictionibus whose very names are blessed If God call thee vnto
a fiery and bloody triall prize not this transitory life aboue the word of life Gods Gospell and aboue the Lord of life Gods only begotten Sonne and aboue eternall life Gods bountifull and free gift Reu. 2.10 Esto fidelis Be thou faithfull vnto the death and Christ shall giue thee the Crowne of life Thou that art a fruitefull Vine planted by Gods owne right hand and watered with the dew of Heauen take heed that thy branches be not torne away by the violent blast of persecution when God shall be pleased to suffer such tempests to trouble the lower region of the Ayre in this militant Church Hath God planted thee in a fruit full hill Esay 5. fenced thee and gathered out the stones from thy Vineyard by Reformation take heed that thou suffer not thy fence to be troden downe be watchfull that the enuious man doe not throw in againe those stones by deformation Be carefull also that thy boughes and limmes be not stollen away by night by those that creepe through the hedge into the vineyard Take heed that the little foxes do not vndermine thine inclosure and purloine away thy best fruit when they pretend to look another way and professe onely to request courteous harmlesse harbour for a while in thy ground but in the mean time work themselues in dig their earths and bring in their yong cubbes thither which will soone learne not onely to climbe vp to the top of the vine and crop the fairest branches but also scratch vp the root of it Of these I will say nothing let the Spirit speake Cant. 2.15 Cant. 2.15 Take vs the foxes the little foxes that spoyle the Vines for our Vines haue tender grapes That I dwel not too long vpon Vniuersals giue me leaue now to descend vnto particular application of this precept by discussing what kind of Church it most properly concernes and who are they that fruitfully vse or peruersely abuse this wholesome spirituall counsell Tene quod habes Hold that thou hast First for the hauing The Church of Rome arrogateth vnto it selfe the prime possession of this spirituall tenure that they only hold it in Capite from Christ himselfe in their own head the Pope that al other Christian Churches are but vnder-tenants as holding by deriuation of petty leases from this vniversall Land-lord that they haue an indefeasible perpetuity therof as intailed vnto the Pope sibi haeredibus in perpetuum to him his heires world without end that other Churches haue no other Charter of it then a Transcript from that Originall and no longer can hold it then whilest they are conformable and seruiceable in Tenancie of vassalage or villenage to the Lords of the Mannor of Rome A vaine fond incroching forgery of vsurpation as authenticall as the pretended donation of Constantine of the patrimony of Saint Peter and other priuiledges vnto Siluester the Pope To these we may wel say with the Apostle Came the word out from you 1. Cor. 14.36 or did you preach the same 1. Cor. 1. or were wee baptized into the name of S. Peter or S. Paul If Prioritie imply originall tenure in faith surely Ierusalem must bee the grandmother Church Isai 2.3 For de Sion exiuit lex Out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem The ancient Fathers reckoned not one but many Tertul. de Praescript aduers Haret Ecclesias matrices originales fidei motherly originall Churches wherein the faith was planted seuerally by diuers Apostles not by one And therfore whersoeuer any church can shew conformity vnto the Charter of the Scriptures it may rightfully plead this Habeo as well as any other the Church of the world As for the church of Rome we deny not but in the primitiue and better times it might wel say Habeo I haue this pledge of Truth Teneo I keepe it intire and sincere But the present Roman Church or rather the Papall faction in the Westerne Church hath long since left that Hold the present Church there hauing little else but locall prescription for propertie herein The ancient Christian Romans according to the instruction of the great Apostle expressed vnto them were not ashamed to hold Rom. 3.24 that we are iustified freely by grace The present in Rome or depending on Rome imbaseth this doctrine by mixture of workes preparatory satisfactory and superrogatory The old Christian Romans were so obedient vnto their Instructors as to imbrace his doctrine when he said Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers The now new Romanists subduce from this yoke their Clergie and Votaries nay they subiect the Scepter of Princes to the Popes becke S. Chrysost in Rom. 13. Chrysostome vpon the aforesaid words of the Apostle said Si Propheta si Euangelista Though thou be a Prophet or an Euangelist yet thou art a subiect to the higher powers And S. Bern. Bern. Qui conatur excipere tentat decipere He that would except any goeth about to deceiue But the moderne Order of Iesuits are more learned then these Fathers and more wise then the very Apostles of Iesus The ancient Christian Romans learned of S. Paul Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued And therefore as they beleeued only vpon God in Christ so in prayer they called only on him But the present Romanists fill their churches altars of Inuocation oblation with ten Saints for one Christ The old Romans beleeued S. Paul when he wrote vnto them Stipendium peccati mors Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death But the new Romanists distinguishing of sinnes mortall and veniall maintaine that there be some sins for which death is not due The old Romans beleeued that eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 but the new that it is due to the worth of good workes The ancient Christian Romans learned no doubt the same doctrine of this Apostle which he taught their brethren the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as yee eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew forth the Lords death vntill he come But the new Romanists robbe vs all of the Bread by a pretended Miracle of Transubstantiation and the Laitie of the Cup by a tricke of Concomitancie But I am not here to read a Lecture of the differences and degenerations of the present Roman Church which are soundly and plentifully demonstrated by the lights of the reformed Churches in their controuersall Bookes Only this I inferre that of all Christian Churches that I know extant this day in the World the Roman troope especially in the superlatiue Tenents of the Iesuites can least of all iustifie themselues and say either Habui quod teneo I had it from Christ that which I now hold or Teneo quod habui what I receiued from Christ and his Apostles I still maintaine intire and incorrupt such
HOLD FAST A Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse vpon Sunday being the XXXI of October Anno Domini 1624. By IOHN GEE Master of Arts late of EXON Colledge in OXFORD LONDON Printed by A. M. and I. N. for ROBERT MYLBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the great South doore of Pauls 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR ROBERT NANTON Knight Master of his Maiesties Court of Wards and Liueries and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell RIGHT HONOVRABLE SOme in their Dedicatories employ their Pen not so much to craue Patronage as to buy and purchase it by large and happily deserued commendation of those whose names and fauour they implore How plentifull matter in this kind I might be furnished withall they well know that are able to ballance your pietie learning and othervertues But as Cato resolued to haue a mean Tombe or none at al that it might rather be asked why he had no Monument then why a sumptuous so in my speaking to of your worthy selfe rather would I be asked of many why I said so little thē of any one why so much I therefore here addresse my selfe to your Honour by approach to that side onely which lyeth most conspicuous opportune for my harbour and that is the contemplation of you as you are by his Maiestie appointed the worthy Head and Master of that honourable Court erected for the protection of those who by reason of Nonage are vnable to support themselues against iniury In which imployment out of your religious vertuous resolutions the world knows you most ready to do Iustice and yeeld Protection as by way of Iudicature vnto Orphanes so also in a larger extent by way of fauor countenance to others that need the same especially in cause of Religion My poore selfe though not pleading either Wardable Tenure or Infancie of years yet in the generall as a Churchman and in particular as deuoted to doe all the seruice I may for the maintenance of Religion established presume to cast my selfe as a Ward into your tuition First Ecclesia semper est pupilla the Church by the Ciuil Canon Lawes is said to remaine in perpetuall pupillage and iustly claimeth succour and defence from men in high place as vnable to relieue it selfe against either those Corrupters that wil thrust in with strange fire to pollute the Altar or those Spoilers that would cut short the skirts of Aarons cloathing Then also for my personall case in regard of my disabilities to vndertake so high a taske I must needs acknowledge my selfe to bee a weake Infant Puer sum non possum loqui Ierem. 1.4 and the more liable to wrong because incompassed with aduersaries exasperated against the Truth and mee for speaking Truth Ezck. 2.6 Bryers and thornes are with mee and I dwell amongst Scorpions whose stings are the sharper bent against my breast because I haue indeauored to giue Antidotes vnto the Kings liege people for their defence against such balefull poyson whereof my selfe haue formerly had a taste Nor am I more by mine owne danger driuen then by your goodnesse drawne to cast mine vnworthy selfe and these my poore Labors into the bosome of your Protection Though it bee perhaps none of my least faults that without your Honours leaue I haue intruded vpon your Patronage yet I cannot bee so mistrustfull in so good a cause as to feare your either repulse or offence In this good hope I craue your honourable Pardon and Fauour alwayes praying God whose cause I defend whose truth you aduance to prosper your Honour in all your laudable and religious indeauours London Nouemb. the 11 1624. Your Honours bounden at seruice to be commanded IOHN GEE HOLD FAST REVEL 3.11 Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast that no man take thy Crowne AS Iohn the Baptist so much more Iohn the Euangelist was a burning and a shining Lampe Iohn 13.23 He was the Disciple whom Iesus loued hee leaned on his Lords breast è sinu Domini imbiberat Mysteria Aug. in Ioh. from out of the bosome of his Master hee dranke deepe of the fountaine of heauenly wisdome Hee wrote his Reuelations in the latter end of his deepe age and as may seeme by the profit thence vnto Gods Church was to that end in speciall manner and miraculously preserued as if the lampe of his life could not bee put out till hee had kindled all the lampes of his Writings to giue light to the Sanctuary of God vpon earth The tempest of violent death could not dash out the candle of his mortalitie Fasciculus Temporum Euseb Eccl. hist lib. 13 cap. 18. 20. For hee being vnder Traian put into a vessell of scalding oyle yet was not completely martyred And vnder Domitian banished into Patmos one of the Islands called Cyclades or Sporades lying in the West part of Asia the lesse and by the Aegean Sea there his life in extreame age was not consumed amongst the duresses and distresses of that banishment till hee had finished his course and wrote to the neighbouring Churches the last Omega of the Scriptures Christ who present with him in body loued him no lesse loued him being absent And therefore as he appeared to Abraham in the Mount Gene. 22.12 Gene. 28.11 Exod. 3.2 Ierem. 38.6 Daniel 2. Acts 10.6 to Iacob in the Field to Moses in Midian to Ieremiah in the Dungeon to Daniel in Babylon and to Peter in the house of Simon So in good time he doth appeare to his beloued Iohn in this desert Isle and comfort him in his exile with sweet voyces heauenly visions and most glorious Reuclations His first Vision contained in the three first chapters of this Booke is of seuen golden Candlestickes and seuen Starres representing seuen famous Churches and their Angels or Bishops in Asia minor to which hee was directed to write so many seuerall Epistles At the seuenth verse of this Chapter begins the Epistle to the Angel of Philadelphia a Citie of Mysia and one of the Gentile Churches to whom he chose rather to write then to the Churches in Iudea to signifie that now the kingdome of God was come to the Gentiles the partition wall broken downe Rom. 3. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Arke of the Couenant opened the Gentiles were admitted and adopted into the fellowship of Gods people yet so as vnder the seuerall estates of those seuen Churches Paraeus Bullinger Gorran according to the opinion of learned Expositors the future estate of other Churches is deciphered and the doctrine therein contained so neerely concerneth succeeding times that the conclusion of euery Epistle hath this generall Memento Let him that hath an care heare what the Spirit saith vnto the Churches In the first part of the Predictions and Instructions giuen to this the sixt in order of those Churches the Church of Philadelphia he commendeth the patience of the Angell or Bishop there threatens his
enemies and assureth him of ayd and affistance In the latter part hee first exhorts him to constancie then recounts the rewards of Conquerours He exhorts him to constancie in the words of my Text Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast that no man take thy crowne He recounts the rewards of conquerors in the words immediately following my Text Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God he shall go no more out c. Where is Praelium Proemium a holy warre and a rich reward A combate to bee vndergone by him that will winne or keepe his Crowne The former verse whereof I haue made choyce is the Christian mans Castle not vnlike the Tower of Dauid A thousand Shields hang therein and all the Targets of the strong men The force of the words lies 1 Exhortation first in an Exhortation which is as the middle and center of the verse Hold fast that thou hast and about it these two Motiues twine like the Serpents about Mercuries Rod 2 Motiues First a Promise by way of Prediction Behold I come shortly Secondly a Monition by way of Caution That no man take thy Crowne Both these are sacred treasures laid vp in the Arke The first The pot of Manna sweet nourishing and comfortable Beholde I come quickly The second is the Rod of Aaron laid vp in the same Arke of the Couenant a rod of Instruction Premonition and Correction That no man take thy Crowne The first of these intertained in vs by Hope The second kept safe by Feare The Hope of future good and happinesse whereto the Eare openeth whereon the Eye is fixed with expectation and the Heart bent with longing when the Bridegroome pronounceth vnto his Spouse the Church this most welcome voice Behold I come quickly The Feare and awfull reuerence whereat the eare tingleth and the heart quaketh and all the faculties of the inner man doe apply themselues together for the working out of salvation with feare and trembling when our Master Prophet and King doth instruct and moue vs saying to euery faithfull Soule take heede That no man take thy Crowne In the first we behold the Sonne of God as most amiable and comfortable there wee view him as he is speciosus prae filijs hominum fairer then the sons of men and with Peter we say Quò ibimus whither shall wee goe but to thee for thou hast the words of eternall life Behold I that am the way the truth and the life doe come quickly In the second we view him as appearing in a bright consuming sire with a two-edged sword comming from his mouth with a Rod of iron in his hand with a voice full of terrour and amazement threatning least another take thy Crowne In the first hee appeares as in the gentle winde In the second hee shewes himselfe as in the thunder In the first the voice of Christ is as a sweete Cimball In the second like the sound of many waters The first is a motiue of Comfort promising aide and assistance The second of Terrour threatning a degradation for want of perseuerance In the hand of this good Samaritan is soft Oyle and sharpe Wine or vinegar A comfortatiue and a corrasiue Such is his method of curing if by faire promises hee cannot perswade his manner is by threatnings to compell I begin and intend most to insist on the maine branch of my text the matter principally intended incompassed and walled in as it were with the other parts the Exhortation Hold fast that thou hast where two points readily offer themselues to be considered Actus and Obiectum 1 Actus a performance Hold fast 2 Obiectum the Obiect the matter or thing possessed that which thou hast Loose no opportunitie but Hold not slightly or perfunctorily but firme and fast thou hast begun well euen so perseuere holding that which thou hast 1 Hold fast Strong was the poison of Heretickes and sharpe the sword of Tyrants in this age of the Primitiue Church like brethren in euill they were leagued and linkt in conspiracie against the Lord and his annointed against Christ and his Disciples The one sort being Satans Aduocates the other his Assasines the one beseiging the holy Ierusalem without the walls by hostilitie the other vndermining her within the walls by Conspiracie and Treason Heretickes like the Locusts with Scorpion-like tailes did not only hurt wandering and wauering Christians with the deadly sting of their contagious errours but also indangered many of them who had the seale of God on their forheads Tyrants like the great red Dragon with seauen heads ten hornes neuer ceased to persecute the Spouse of Christ and to make warr with her seede So that by the Impostures of Heretickes and Crueltie of Tyrants some Christians were drawne to leaue their Hold and fall backe from the Truth Against such cowardly Combattants these enemies of the Gospell that thus ran away from the banner of Christ this good Angell of Philadelphia had hitherunto opposed himselfe Now because hee should not sinke in the midst of his conflict our Sauiour incourageth him and his Church with this Exhortation saying Hold that thou hast As if he should haue said thou hast begun in the Spirit end not in the Flesh as yet thou bearest the Image of God then fashion not thy selfe according to the World thou art yet in the Light delight not then in the workes of Darknesse thine Alpha hath beene sinceritie then let not thine Omega be seusualitie without perseuerance the best Professor is but as a branch cut off from the Vine he can bring forth no fruit a painted Tombe full of rotten bones a fruitlesse Fig-tree with goodly blossomes Very profitable therefore and effectuall is this Act or Performance Hold fast Constancie and Perseuerance are in the Scriptures principally set forth by foure Metaphors Ploughing Running Standing and Holding The first two signifie Action and Motion the other Quiet and Immutability For the first of the foure our Sauiour saith No man that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe is apt to the Kingdome of Heauen Luk. 9.62 For the second Saint Paul saith So runne that yee may obtaine 1 Cor. 9. For the third the same Apostle saith Stand therefore and your loines girded about with verity Ephes 6.14 For the fourth my Text saith Hold that thou hast that is to say perseuere in faith and righteousnesse and vse thy function without feare Holding is a naturall action and gesture of the hand and other members which not only men of vnderstanding by reason but euen babes and sucklings do vse by instinct nay all liuing creatures yea and some stupid bodies also though they haue not this architect organ of the hand yet haue they the reach and force of appetite which as it carrieth them by way of desire to those obiects which are naturall and conuenient for them so when they attaine such obiects they haue also the facultie of