satisfie for our passed debts Even this my Text here doth evince thus much where the Apostle having taught us you see how that Christ was sacrificed yea and that he was sacrificed too our Passeover to the end that the wrath of God might be made to passe from us doth he now leave it can we say unto our selves alone to make what use we list of this so heavenly a doctrine which he hath delivered doth he referre it wholly now unto our owne discretions only to passe by this so infinite mercy of God in what sort wee please No that hee doth not for as in the seventh Verse he hath shewed us what concerning this point we are to beleeve so now in the eight Verse doth hee also informe you see how in consideration hereof we are to live as before in the preceding part of my Text by way of doctrine hee hath taught us what in love to us Christ did suffer so now in that which followeth doth hee by way of use teach us what in thankfulnesse unto Christ we must doe viz. that in a gratefull acknowledgement of this his so unspeakable favour towards us wee must from henceforth solemnly keep a feast Christ our Passeover is sacrificed let us therefore saith Saint Paul keep the feast The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as well bids an holy-day you must know as indicts a feast and every whit as properly by Tremelius is rendered festum celebremus let us keep the holy-day as by the vulgar Latine and some others epulemur let us keep the feast Our last English version reades it both waies and not but upon very good grounds too doth it so reade it it not being unknowne unto us how that both these waies men did solemnize a Passeover of old amongst the Jewes viz. Et festum celebrando epulando both by making a holy-day and by keeping a feast too Why and in the name of God both these waies let us Christians celebrate now this our Passeover because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed let us therefore keep an holy-day because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed let us therefore also keep a feast First festum celebremus let us keep an holy-day that by observing carefully an holy rest as from sin every day for never upon any day may we rest in that Christ for us being not therefore slaine now that we from henceforth might live in sinne so upon all these and the like solemne holy-daies from all workes also of servile labour from all worldly workes of what kind soever they be which without notorious detriment cannot be well forborne Besides what we may learne in this point even from very Heathens whose severall holy-daies we find they did count polluted if after notice once given thereof per praeconem a man upon any such day was found at his worke besides this I say I pray tell mee B. Ely Sab. pag. 222. doth not a learned Prelate of ours in a late elabourate Treatise of his amongst sundry other Kings lawes to this purpose produce a law enacted by our owne Alured that a freeman if he wrought in quavis festa die hee was either to be divested of this liberty or to bee soundly fined for it a servant either corium perdere either to lose his skin or to redeem it with his coine And no marvell truly for even Gods owne law it is in Leviticus 23. it is Gods owne law there I say that bid adieu we should unto all worldly affaires upon all holy-daies that upon all holy-dayes as the very name may prompt us to doe wee should forbeare to mingle our selves with what belongs to earth Not that it is Gods will that we should now be idle we may thinke or passe the Holy-day away in doing nothing No qui nihil agit malè agit he that doth nought must needs doe naught we may bee sure Even very heathen people have seene thus much though they had the light onely God knowes of blinde nature and therefore amongst the antient Romans the goddesse it seemes had no Temple allowed her within the City but abroad elsewhere without the Wals in some extreme parts of the Suburbs intimating unto us hereby how that idlenesse is a vice not tolerable in any State as being indeed the undoubted mother of all ungodlinesse and sinne But what now will God suffer doe you thinke upon an holy-day what is not to be endured we may be sure upon any day or is it an idle rest doe you thinke that hee alwayes requireth at our hands when upon such daies as these are he interdicteth labour wherein then I wonder would this our rest differ even from the very rest of our jumenta from our oxe his rest at the stall and from our horses rest in the stable for sure I am as well as wee even they are to rest also from all travell It is recorded by Cato concerning one of the Scipio's how that he was never lesse alone he should say than when alone and Nunquam minus otiosus quam cum otiosus never lesse idle than when he was idle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Divine whom St. Basil speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not what others may doe but sure am I saith he that I am never more busied than when I doe rest why and never more busied let us at any time bee than when God doth call us as here to keep an holy-day never more exercised though neither in sinfull nor secular affaires yet in all such workes as doe concerne the day Now what are they Sure I am not to madde and gad it up and downe the streets to sir and smoake it in Tobacco shops to roare and revell it in Tavernes and as it were in contempt of that destroying Angel whose sword as yet you fee is not quite sheathed to lay purposely aside all honest labour that we may the more greedily prostitute our selves unto all leud excesse No there are both lawes Imperiall I am sure and Ecclesiasticall strictly restraining men from these exorbitancies and that especially too upon all such dayes as for order and policie sake we doe call Holy And no marvell truly for Haeccine solennes dies decent saith Tertullran quae alios dies non decent or have we no other way may we thinke to make an holy-day than by making our selves thereon the more unholy Indeed were they Liberalia which we doe now celebrate were they daies dedicated to the god of Riot unto drunken Bacchus I meane on whose severall Festivals men might both speake and doe it seemes what ever they listed then wonder I could not if that we did keepe these dayes now with farre more loosenesse than I hope we doe But now besides that he is a sober God whom wee are to worship now as the Athenians said sometimes of their Minerva a God who holds not libertie I am sure to be piety or occasion of rioting to be religion neither ever
did teach us as yet when we are to keep an holy-day to expresse our publike joy by our publike shame Besides this I say I pray bethinke your selves is not the feast we keepe now the feast of Passeover Yes But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Gregory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Pascha saith hee imports a passing as of that destroying Angel from over the Israelites so of the Israelites themselves also from out of Egypt why in the name of God then if indeed your purpose be to keepe a true Paschall holy-day now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and that too in such a fashion as whereby Gods destroying Angel may bee made to passe at length from us why let us passe then with all diligence from what ever courses heretofore we learned in Egypt unto such workes onely and religious exercises as shall best beseeme wee know Gods own chosen Israelites viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from workes of sinne unto workes of grace à rebus inferioribus ad superiora from workes of vanitie unto workes of piety and that we may doe opiu diei in die suo in it owne day the worke of the day from the base drudgerie workes of the flesh and divell unto such as are true holy-day works indeed Would you know what these workes are Why doe but uncase the word I beseech you the Latine feriae I meane into its first swadling clothes and you shall then finde how that a right holy-day work is either ferire victimas or ferre dona you shall then finde how that a true holy-day worke is either to slay our beasts for sacrifice or to bring hither our gifts One thing I am sure of both these works did the Jewish people heretofore upon their holy-daies as unto men versed any whit in sacred storie it is most evident and cleere Why and in the name of God if we will keep the holy-day aright both these works also let us doe on ours now because S. Paul his will is that wee should keepe an holy-day let us slay our beasts therefore now for sacrifice because Saint Paul his will it is that we should keepe an holy-day let us bring hither therefore now our gifts too First let us ferire victimas slay our beasts for sacrifice not those beasts wee doe read of in the law no I doe doubt very much how willing many of us would be to part in these dayes with such beasts as those were neither if we all were willing hath every one of us can I thinke any such beasts now to part with neither if wee all had them doth God now I am sure require any such beasts at our hands What say I doth hee not require them doe I say nay to speake sooth hee doth now reject them for sacrificia victimas noluisti saith David as for all legall sacrifices saith St. Paul God will none of them now Psal 40.6 Heb. 10.5 Indeed a time once there was I must confesse when God required such beasts not for that he himselfe then had the least need of them for the beasts of the forrest are mine all of them saith God and so are the cattell too upon a thousand hills and therefore as S. Justine Martyr rightly we can never think that any thing can bee wanting unto him who is Lord of all things why but yet at that very time was the slaying and sacrificing of such beasts only a ceremonie no standing law only a ceremonie I say which had only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the name gives no standing law which was to reach unto us No Was it not so will some say Why what are those beasts then we would know that must be slain by us now you tell us upon this our holy-day Surely not the beasts of our heards you must understand no but the beasts rather in our hearts our unreasonable affections our brutish lusts these especially are the beasts which wee must now downe with these beasts if we shall still stable in us though slay whole Hecatombs wee should of those other beasts yet when all comes to all shall wee but keep a beastly holy-day I dare say a day no way pleasing unto him that was now slaine for us These beasts therefore let us now to pot with though they bee never so deare unto us let not our hand spare them no whether the hot petulant goat of carnall lust it be or the rash head-strong ram of unadvised anger yea or that proud unruly beast either which I am afraid to meddle with almost so generally fostered is he I see both in towne and country there being hardly that family amongst us in the whole kingdome where wee shall not heare him muttering and murmuring at some time or other either against Church or State would you that I should name him unto you Why if I shall not offend then in so doing it is that stiff-neck'd Bull I meane of Discontent Now all these beasts being thus slaine by us as oh if it were Gods will that in truth they were let us not by and by set up our rest here as if the whole worke now wee thought of the day were done no he that here gave himselfe yee see to bee slaine our Passeover doth expect oblations wee must thinke as well as sacrifices and lookes that in celebrating unto him this our holy-day wee should as well bring our gifts hither as here slay our beasts One thing I am sure of as upon other festivals so in particular on this of sweet bread Gods expresse order it was Deut. 16.16 that there should not any man appeare before him with an empty hand The people shall offer thee saith the Prophet in the 110. Psalme speaking of these very times now under the Gospel oblationes voluntarias Ver. 3. free-will offerings in die virtutis tuae in the day of thy power or as Rivet and some others will have it in die exercitus tui in the day of thine army But now in the whole compasse of the yeere are there any daies the daies so properly we may say of Christ his power yea and dies exercitus too copiarum ejus the daies in truth of his hosts and armies as are these very daies when in the like places to this the selected bands of Christ his Church doe troop together thus solemnly to commemorate that most stupendious act of Christ his power in most powerfully raising up himselfe from the dead In any case then let us not faile to manifest our selves a most willing people unto Christ now upon these daies upon these daies I say these solemn holy-daies these daies of Christ his army these daies of Christ his power And that as by bringing hither unto him that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which of all other gifts is indeed the best the hallowed oblation of a good intention offered upon the unstained altar of an honest heart for the sacrifice of God is the heart saith David and what ever
〈◊〉 your good workes If Christianity bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Idlesby in that building because meere knowledge is to greater damnation Luk. 12.47 and meere knowledge is in the damned in the divell Luk. 4.10 Omnes Grae cinorunt quid sit honestum soli Lacedaemonii faciunt quod est honestum All Christians Know true Christians Doe Christianity The fruit doth shew the tree Luk. 6.44 a good man like the good tree Psal 1. doth bring forth his fruit in due season like the tree of life Rev. 22. in many seasons yea like the tree in Alcinous his orchard in every season Aarons rod did not onely bloome Philosophy saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 felicity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operation not speculation and the Moralists that their Art is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an affection but an action Nature frameth men with ten fingers to one tongue but wee invert it Oraque centum like Stentor wee open our mouths wide when wee should open our hands wide Deut. 15.11 But surely they are no excellent servants who will onely weare the Livery therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ saith Christians must doe the workes of Christianity Such as are Christians must doe the works of Christianity and good Christians good workes What absolutely good workes No I absolutely deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctum non est quod geritur sanctum nisi sanctè quod sanctum est peragitur Dew attendit tum actum tum affectum saith St. Cyprian Where there are good works in perfection there must be both a perfect action externall and perfect affection internall But quis idoneus ad haec liveth the man that dareth say he can discharge it Alas alas we have many commissions more omissions In the most vigilant Christian Gregories two wormes will eat out the core and cor of his most hearitie action superbia aut desidia either sloath in them or pride of them will constraine the best Christian to ponder the terminus diminuens remaining opera bona Nostra they are Our good workes and therefore blemished in their goodnesse Christ doth and Christians may call their workes good workes for they are wrought out of a good matter the holy Scriptures 1 Sam. 15.22 by a good efficient the holy Spirit Joh. 15.5 and to a good end to hallow Gods holy name in my text for this day and in our prayer for every day Primitively our workes are pure are cleere in the fountaine but derivatively muddie and dirtie in the channell and kennell of our performance If once they be Our workes Our God doth know it and hath said it All our righteousnesse is but as filthy ragges Isai 64.6 This is enough to vilifie our best actions and to humble our best affections that they are called bona opera Nostra Our good workes Passing the dignitie proceed we to the necessity of our good workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your light shine Christ is Imperative and Christians are Optative that they may be Potentiall and Indicative manifestly and powerfully to stop the mouths of ignorant malitious people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our good workes and godly conversation 1 Pet. 2.15 I will not cramme your attention with that Crambe those common Scriptures for good workes obvious to our Children and Catechists to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to our very Novices in Religion onely I will appeale to all your memories that all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Disciples Martyrs Fathers Confessors and sound Professors did ever strive to practise that opus sidei that worke of faith 1 Thess 1.3 and to walke in that narrow way to heaven which is paved with good workes For my part I am through that those who goe not in this via shall never attaine that patria Though Bennard saw not A'll yet hee saw enough in this point and they are blinde Bayards who be so bold as to gainsay it I am transported with this point and as it were translated by this point into a pilgrimage towards heaven like that of Jacob to Padan Aram Gen. 28. me thinketh I have a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multitude of the effects of good workes as Angels ascending and descending as messengers to tell us that we shall climbe the ladder where God standeth at the top thereof 1 At the foot below the foot of that ladder lieth Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before Hell was we were prevented from Hell and elected into Heaven in Christ Jesus The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Charter of our enfranchisment is in Gods Predestination the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or counterpane thereof is in our owne Conversation By doing good workes we may and must make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 2 In the fall of Adam we all Adamites fell into Hell Titiones ab incendio out of which fire we are snatched by our blessed Redeemer our good workes are the fruits and signes of that our blessed redemption For if we be the children of Abraham we will doe the deeds of Abraham Joh. 8.39 3 As we were Titiones ab incendio so that wee be not Titiones ad incendium that wee doe not relapse to our ruine but that we are assured that we are justified and shal be glorified The evidence of this assurance is given by the Spirit Causativè by way of operation but it ariseth also from our workes effectivè by way of declaration If wee keepe Gods Commandements we dwell in him and hee in us and herehy we know that hee abideth in us 1 Joh. 3.24 4 That we are elected redeemed justified yea and Glorified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the first fruits and gracious fore feeling thereof Wee must render our regale vectigal our thankfulnesse must bee our tribute to God for that wee are made Citizens and Subjects of his Kingdome And our thanks must be by our deeds we must gratias agere gratias dicere is no phrase Like Cinaetus to his King we must say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we have done what wee can wee are but unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 Though we shall be unprofitable yet must we not be unthankfull servants and by our good workes wee must declare it 5 True thankfulnesse for our benefits doth alwaies produce true love to our benefactour Now this love must not be Gyges to walke inconspicuous nor an Adombezech to have no Fingers nor like Logick may it be clutcht-fisted but like Rhetorike it must be open handed Love doth dwell at the signe of the open hand and the motto is bona opera vestra Your good workes If we love Christ we will keepe his commandements Joh. 14 21. No servant to Love Love there fore is Obedient and Obedience is the foundation of my Text. I am Obedient to my Creator
saith every Creature Tu loquere ut te videam Shew it by thy works saith Christ to us Christians and we Christians should answer our Christ as the Israelites did Moses All that the Lord hath spoken will wee doe Exod. 19.8 7 But our consciences mille testes a great cloud of witnesses complaine to Us of Us that wee have not returned those thanks nor imbraced that love nor expressed that obedience to our blessed Creator It standeth us then in hand to repent us of those notorious Omissions But what is repentance onely mortification and vivification a putting off the old man and a putting on the new man Ephes 4.22 24. that is the eschewing of evill workes and the insuing of good workes We say we repent how doe we shew it It is possible that all our gestures postures sighs prayers and profession may be but Domestici testes partiall false witnesses or vaine-glorious Pseudo-Martyrs Deus testis that we doe truely repent if wee be not rotten hypocrites our good workes before God and man will witnesse it 8 Next no repentance no faith These twinnes like those of Hippocrates will thrive or pine together These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Day starres will rise and set in the same minute Like Ruth and Naomi they will live and die together A carnall neglect of good workes will kill them both But for faith a wording professour as the Harlot used her Infant 1 King 3.16 doth smother it and take away the breath of it For as the bodie without breath is dead so faith without works is dead also James 2.26 9 If our faith faile it is fit that we should fall to our prayers Lord increase our faith Luk. 17.5 Our prayers are heavie like Moses hand wee cannot hold them up against braving Amalek against our bold temptations our goods workes are Hur and Aaron to support them Our prayers are Sagittae Salutis 2 King 13.17 the arrowes of salvation goods works are our Elisha to teach us to shoote Good workes are the feathers to those arrowes which make them flie as high as heaven and like Jonathans Bow never to turn back emptie but ever to bring a blessing with them A voice was heard from Heaven saying Thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Act. 10.4 10 Yea good works are not onely helps of prayers but they are prayers also I conceive prayers to bee vocall sacrifices and sacrifices to bee reall prayers Now good works are sacrifices therefore prayers I dispute not the distinctions whether good workes be sacrificia propitiatoria sacrifices to asswage Gods vengeance for our transgressions by our pietie for our sacriledge or by our charitie for our avarice whether goods works bee sacrificia impetrantia to beg a blessing upon our King and kingdome upon our families and persons or whether they be onely sacri ficia Eucharistica the tribute of our thankfulnes But this I know our good workes are sacrifices true sacrifices sacrifices wherewith God is pleased yea well pleased For S. Paul saith To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices is God well pleased Heb. 13.16 11 Hereunto will I be bold to annex a transcendent goodnesse of good workes I must speake it truely you must heare it cautelously Good workes doe purge us from our sins I transgresse little from the phrase nothing from the sense of S. Pet. 1. Pet. 1.22 We purifie our selves in obeying the truth Indeed this property of purging sinnes properly by way of redemption is peculiar to the prerogative of Christ the blood of Jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all our sins saith S. Joh. 1. Joh. 1.7 but instrumentally and by way of mortification and repressing our concupiscence as it is mentioned by S. Paul to Col. 3.5 we may ascribe this good worke to good workes By mercy and truth iniquitie is purged Pro. 16.6 I will therefore presume to the best man under this roofe under heaven to come neer and say Father goe to Jordan wash and be cleane Cleanse your selves by good workes and a godly conversation 12 We are Gods servants do our fraile appetites invite us be hirelings will mercinarie motives make us to be good to do good our good works shall produce a good reward a double reward yea a treble temporall spirituall and eternall 1 Tim. 4.8 Doe not censure nor suspect this doctrine for Popish and implying merites no out of my judgement not affection I abhorre all Popery and of all Popery I abhorre this Heresie that proud presumptuous point of Merits But that good workes shall have their remard it is Saint Pauls doctrine Hebr. 11.6 and wee have Saint Pauls distinction to cleere it from Popery Rom. 4.4 our reward shall be of Grace not of Debt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil and S. Ambrose seemeth to speake the same sentence in Latine Donum liberalitatis non stipendium virtutis a reward proceeding from the benignity of the rewarder not from the dignity of the rewarded hee can be no way meritorious I have heard that power belongeth unto God and that thou Lord art mercifull for thou rewardest every man according to his worke Psal 62.12 13 Moreover the good workes of good Christians shall have a reward according to the proportion of their goodnesse He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and hee which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2. Cor. 9.6 They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament but they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 The patient Innocents which start not and shrinke not at the groundlesse and endlesse barking of black-mouth'd slaunderers They are blessed and commanded joyfully to expect the augmentation of their blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reward even a great reward in the Kingdome of Heaven Math. 5.11.12 14 These many points are so many stems springing from one stalke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of our selves to our selves There remaine two maine motives whereof the one is comparable to any of these the other superlative to all of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our love to our brethren on earth and our love to our Father in heaven to edifie them and to glorifie him both in the Text. To draw men to Christ is Gods rovall Prerogative John 6.44 therefore to communicate this to Us must be a rare priviledge for such mortall miserable creatures But exempla trahunt mores exemplary good workes are an adamant very attractive and they are not iron of a heavie disposition who will not follow them Good workes doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they make nolentem volentem such as are backward to religion to become forward in religion Thus homo generat hominem one good worke doth produce another Good workes are necessary to bee done by good men that by their example they may edifie their brethren 15 These many
fore-named motives to and effects of good workes are as so many starres which impart light to us and exercise their influence on us to make our soules vegetative to grow from grace to grace to be fertile and fruitfull in good workes Or like those starres the septem Triones they are brave directions to us towards our haven our heaven and happy are those holy Christians who can steere thither through an ocean of good actions And this last our exemplary piety and charity to edifie our brethren like the starre of the Epiphanie it doth as it were stand over the house and directly direct us to this command of Christ as that starre did those Magi to the person of Christ Or sicut inter stellas Luna minores like the Moone it shineth brightly that we may see the way to heaven in this night of our ignorance and imperfect understanding And as the Astrologers teach of the Moone it doth rule the head and imploieth the braines in holy meditations to compasse an holy conversation But the motive behind is before them â—ll in 〈…〉 incitement like the Sunne it doth obscure all these in a glorious lustre It doth impart light and life to all who are called Christians to walke worthy of their Vocations since by our good workes wee shall glorifie our good God that we shall doe good workes in the sight of the Devill Job 1.8 and in despight of divellish men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact speaketh that our very enemies shall approve us with their hearts though they reprove us with their tongues Had I the tongues of men and Angels I could say no more to urge the necessity of good workes than what is here said in this Text in this part of my Text Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heaven I will shut up this Sermon drawing this one Doctrine into a double usefull Application first by way of apologie for our Religion secondly by way of Antilogie against our Religion In the one I will professe the Doctrine of our Church to be admirable in the other I will confesse the practice of our professors not to be answerable 1 Have I here any Auditors who are Papists or Popishly affected If prejudice and partiality have not stopped both the eares of such persons I crave but one corner to receive the true report of their false reports and forged calumnies wherewith they charge our Church Reformed The Protestants doe neglect good workes because they doe not hold them necessary to Salvation saith the Jesuit who did occasion that rare Treatise termed The way to the Church sect 40. Nil nisi Fidem requirunt Lessius saith the Protestants require nothing but faith de Antichristo pag. 250. Suarez more fully and foulely too Quocunque modo vivunt per solam fidem gloriam sibi promittunt neque Mandatorum observationem neque Poenitentiam esse necessariam praedicant the Protestants preach saith the Jesuite Apolog. 5.10 nu 11. that it is no matter how men live promising glory by faith alone accounting both the keeping of the CoÌ„mandements Repentance Unnecessary Legem ad Salutem nequaquam esse necessariam impiè dicere non sunt veriti their Trent Catechisme saith pag. 339. we are not affraid to say impiously That the Law of God is not necessary to Salvation The same smoake ariseth from a cloud of like witnesses Campian Dowly Malvenda Ferus Stella c. against which loud lewd Lie we appeale to our God to our Consciences to our Bookes to our Sermons to this Sermon to our Hearers to our very Children in their Catechismes who were never taught one syllable of such a damnable doctrine But the best is Bellarmine doth blush at these bold calumnies Disertis verbis docent opera esse ad Salutem necessaria non quidem necessitate Efficientiae sed Praesentiae de Justificat 4. The Protestants saith he doe plainly teach that good workes are necessary to Salvation not in the act of Justification but in the worke of Sanctification without which there can be no Salvation Indeed we doe not indeed we dare not avouch with that Jesuite of Rome that at the last day wee expect Justum Judicem a Just Judge not misericordem Patrem not a mercifull Father Nor with those Priests of Rhemes that Heaven is the value worth and price of our workes For my part I professe I can swallow no Pills be they never so artificially gilded No Merits will downe with mee though wrapt up in the quaint phrase of curious Campian Opera tincta sanguine Christi or with the neat distinctions of Condignitie Congruity c. But if it can be proved that the Protestant Church doth hold dogmatically that good workes are not necessary to Salvation I will turne Papist Againe if we make it plaine that they charge us with these palpable grosse shamefull and shamelesse lyes onely to strengthen their desperate resolution in this damnable point of Merits mee thinketh an ingenuous Papist should almost be perswaded to turne Protestant only S. Paul hath told us and fore-told of them there is a generation who will not receive the love of the Truth and therefore God hath sent on them strong delusion that they might beleeve a lye 2. Thes 2.10 11. Concerning the remnant a long Preface would bee requisite to mediate for that short conclusion For my Mistresse Experience hath taught mee her wise Scholar that it is more offensive for a Preacher to reprove sinne than for an Hearer to commit it I hope therefore and pray that in this Congregation there bee none of Malchas his kinsmen who have lost their right eares nor none of Theophrastus his Scholars who used none but their left hands that whatsoever I reach them with a right hand yea and heart too they receive it with a sinister interpretation Beloved I begge an intelligent and charitable attention I will speak in verity in Gods holy name doe you heare in charity Good workes Good God where are those good men who doe performe them some few onely excepted 1 The idlenesse of the poore dejected unrewarded unregarded Mercenaries the lofty lordly deportment of others more plentifully maintained The base flattering of great ones and that more than most basest flattery of the base ones the multitude to the fomenting of faction schisme and disobedience Are these the good workes of our Clergie 2 The slow foot to the house of God the stiffe knee to the worship of God the shut hand to the members of God the evill eye against the ministers of God and as it is feared the schismaticall heart in the Church of God Are these the good workes of your Laity 3 The hyperexcessive prodigality upon hawkes horses hounds drinking dancing and dicing and that incredible parsimonie towards the poore the country Church nay their God Are these the good workes of the Countrey 4 The lying in shops swearing in markets