pecâ—atorum as Syrach calls it a sin which first began in heaven and tumbled the first abetters of it down to hell That Epidemicall sin which hath infected the race of all mankinde and like a most malignant disease runs thorough all his veines from that man of sin the King of all the children of Pride as Job terms the Leviathan who hath the horns of the Lamb but the mouth of the Dragon with which he speaketh proud words Unto the lowest sinner amongst the sonnes of men is this pestilence dispersed those which have seemed most to trample upon pride and made pretences of voluntary humility have done it with greater pride as Plato said of Diogenes when he â—ord upon his chair with greater Pride then ever he sate in it greater pride below often goes about to pull down lesser pride above I must not stand to tell you what the pride of our self conceit is the magnifying of our selves the despising of our Brethren our high looks and proud stomacks the heighth of our apparell the glory of our Pompe how we perch up to the highest twig of our estate till the boughs will not bear us how we look down like the sonnes of Anack upon our brethren as Grashoppers how full every vain of us is of this vice it is enough to see it and to say Woe now unto us that we have sinned The next sin is covetousnesse Amor sceleratus habendi the root of all evill as the Apostle calls because it gives nourishment and groweth to all other sins even pride it self hath grown up by it Idolatry Prophanation Sacriledge Extortion and infinite others are troupers in this band the love of Mammon hath begotten it the wages of Balaam and the booty of Gâ—bazi and the Vineyard of Nâ—both have maintained it This also is our sin and woe is unto us that we have sinned These two Pride and Coveteousnesse have their residence in the heart have usurped Gods mansion and left him no room there But The third sin is Swearing which is a cankar in the mouth an open Sepulcher in the throat a sâ—ink that doth ascend to heaven which infects the sacred name of God the true Generall of Blasphemies perjuries lyings c. It is a sin which crucifies Christ a new and tears his very wounds and body in peeces and sheds his pretious bloud again a sin which never goes without a curse a long with it which the jealous God will not let go unrevenged This also is our sin and woe is unto us that we have sinned I will but name another a capitall sin among the Armies of Lucifer it is Drunkennesse the ring leader to adulteries quarrels wounds distempers to profannesse uncharitablenesse swearing flyes into the face of God but drunkennesse defaces the image of God he is the sepulcher of the creatures of God nay he is his own sepulcher being entombed in his own bowels It is a sin which began with the new world and hath been cryed down by the Prophets Apostles Fathers Pastors of the Church and yet they have not prevailed it is a crying sin which maketh a loud noise in Gods ears and it is our sin also woe now unto us that we have sinned I have named these four because of the four woes we spake of before and indeed if you peruse but the fifth chapter of Isaiah you shall finde a severall woe threatned to each of them I must not go about to number the rest I cannot do it I must say with the Psalmist Oh how great is the summe of them and set that at the foot of the accompt I can shew you but a part of this great Army as Balack shewed Bâ—laam but let that be enough to make you curse them all and say â—â—â—â—â— unto us that we have sinned Let us not now put them off and say these are indeed the sins of the times with Saul the people have sinned Justus est accusator suâ— true repentance accuseth none but it self I have sinned saith David we have sinned we have done wickedly saith Daniel We our selves are the men me me adsum qui fici in me convertite flaminat they are our sine that have troubled Israel say it though to the shame of our faces â—ertul Let not us be ad delinquendum expandentes frontem ad deprecandum subducenter Let us say it and give God glory by our saying it as Joshnah taught Aâ—han but to our own shame and the consusion of our faces Foâ— woe now unto us that we have sinned I le give you one observation more from the Text woe now unto us the pain that is present so we are to judge so it would be iâ— that great Judge of all do not forbear us but the sin that is past the pleasure that was in it that iâ— gone that we have sinned this is ever the sting of sin The fruit that it brings forth is shame the reward it leaves behinde is death all the worth of it is woe Woe now unto us that we have sinnod What remains now but that the sence of our misery and the sight Exod. 31. 31. of our sins like Aâ—ton and Hur make us bold up our hands with Moses unto God in crying That ceremony is not out of season now it is all that remains and let us cry a great and a strong cry unto God saying O Lord we have sinned a grievous sin therefore if thou pardon our sin thy mercy shall appear and let us withall beleeve assuredly that for the strong crying of his sonne he will hear our faithfull and unfained though but weak and feeble cryes for his satisfaction which be once made he will forgive our sins and accept of our repentance To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three Persons but one God blessed for ever be all praise and glory now and ever Amen THE THIRD SERMON 1 COR 10. 16 17. The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ 17. For we that are many are one bread and one body because we are partakers of one bread THese words are an argument of the Apostle and such an argument which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken ab axiomate concesso against which there could be no disputing he appeals to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were able to judge of the truth of it and if to judge then to contradict it if not true 1. Two things are to be taken notice of about it 1. The Coherence 2. The Inference the cause of it and the case The first is the point of Idolatry from which he diswades his Corinthians verse 14. My beloved flee from Idolatry for Idolaters have fellowship with Divels and I would not have you which drink of the Cup of the Lord drink of the cup of divels which are partakers of the Lords table be partakers of the table of
SIX SERMONS LATELY Preached in the Parish CHURCH of Gouahurst in KENT And afterwards most maliciously charged with the Titles Of Odious Blasphemous Popish and Superstitious Preaching Now published by the Author I. Wiâ—coks TACIT Si accusari fas est nulli licebit esse innocenti LONDON Printed by I. Raworth Anno Dom. 1641. blasphemy false doctrine and odious preaching leading of souls to hell I could have borne innumerable other outrages and lashes of their tongues but God only knows how much my soul hath been over charged with these imputations It is not my case alone others of my brethren infinitely desoâ—ving better have been engaged as deeply Our backes are daily plowed upon they say unto our souls ly down that we may go over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord will surely awake out of sleep He seems to them Non advertere quia non aâ—imadvertere and because punishment is not presently executed they swell in the prosperity of their proceedings But he will shortly shew that these things have been both visa invisa he hath seen that their time is coming and therefore lets them rige I shall with patience possesse my soul and commend my cause to God and my just excuse to thee Christian Reader whose I am in Christ Iesus J. W. THE FIRST SERMON JOHN 20. Verse 19 20. He sayd unto them Peace be unto you and when be had sayd be shewed them his hands and his side THe words are the salutation of an Apostle of an Apostle to the Apostles he which was the Apostle of the Fathers sending vers 21. to them which were Apostles of his own they are his own words a little after as the father sent me so send I you But the sicut there is not aequalitatis but proportion is saith Maldonate in regard of the manner of his mission and the matter of his commission there was indeed a non sicut the work of mediation was only his of ministration theirs he was to purchase they to publish He was pax nostra so saith th' Apostle they but praecones pacis saith the Prophet messengers of peace yet in regard of the authority of the mission and the efficacy of the ministration there was a similitude their hard fortune in the world their course entertainment amongst Wolves I might instance in other matters but that it is not proper to this Text may very well be suffered to carry some proportion Amongst the rest there was a sicut in this this salutation in the Text when he sent them the first word he appointed them to say were Peace he to this house Luke 10. 5. And now he whom the Father had sent comes unâ—o them with the same salutation to shew that he and they were of the same mission Peace he unto you and when he had said so be shewed them his hands and his feet I shall not need to tell you that these words were a usuall complement amongst the Jewes they practise it within themselves â—o this present Peace he unto you is their salutation even when war is in their heart they would have peace in their mouthes and make the symbâ—ll of love and friendship a mask of falshood and treason to that effect Joab greeted Amasa in the 2 Sam. 20. 9. Art thou in health my brother but he shewed him neither his hand nor his side for there he covertly held his sword with which treacherously he slew him Little better is much of the only complement of these times whose words are smoother then butter and yet are they very swordâ— But there was no matter of any such mistrust from these words of our Saviour and to prevent all suspition which possibly might arise assoon as he had said them He shewed them his hands and his side Indeed the Disciples were afraid so Saint Luke saith chap 24. 37. they had but lately beheld the sad Tragedy of their Masters sufferings and like a trembling Herd when their choisest Hart was smitten down fled amazedly distracted at the fall they looked every hour when themselves should be marked out for the slaugh er by those hungry woodmen They were at this time assembled together for fear of the Jewes the words before my Text and the doors were shut and our Saviours sudden and invisible apparition had been enough to have frighted them being in that terrour if he had not presently sayd unto them Peace be unto you and shewed them his hands and his side And yet whether they mistrusted some poyson might lie in that courtship remembring what treason was of late interred in a kisse or whether fear had so much estranged them that they werenot come to themselves when Christ spake and so gave no attention to what was said he is fain to repeat the same over again and that he might not lose in their acceptance that which he thought they would so hâ—â—hly prize saith Maldonate he saith unto them again Peace be unto you verse 21. and â—aint Luke saith again he shewed them his hands and his feet Christ had received this praise in the Gospel that he did both do and teach Acts 1. 1. and that he was mighty indeed and in word Luke 24. 19. He practised ever himself first what he taught others and though never man spake like him yet his works made a far better report of him then his words Ioh. 5. 36. Indeed he was sent to bring the blessing and those come to steal it rather which come with the voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau Those which will be right bringers of it must when they come shew their hands and their feet then will they say like those in Esay 52. 7. How beautifull are the feet of them which declare and publish peace Christ had purchased peace the wounds in his hands and side and feet were the chastisements of our peace so the Prophet Esay calls them Esay 53. 5. and now he comes to publish it to his Disciples and that his last act might be made up of a perfect harmony he brings the Trophees of his victory the wounds of his body to shew them how and upon what termes he had purchased it for them He said unto them Peace be unto you and when he had so sayd he shewed them his hands and his side If we attend only the salutation of our Saviour there were not much to be spoken it was common to others as well yet it is remarkable in this His Disciples had all of them either cowardly forsaâ—en or shamefully denyed him they abode not by him at the first skirmish he was left alone unto the shock and there was none else now he was returned a victorious champion having broken through the steely ribs and brazâ—n bars of death and the grave and that he should at the first word proclaim peace unto those traytors that not sued not sought unto he should embrace those fugitives is contrary unto most of the practice of the world such a greeting doth
will be too little we finde it thrice threatned Revel 8. 13. Woe woe woe and when these are past with St Bernard we shaâ—l finde a fourth it will be but injustice with the King of Israel to smite but thrice when we should do it five or sixe times it will be but to repeat the words so much the oftner and four woes we shall in justice award unto our selves and those four from four places First From Heaven above us Secondly From the world without us Thirdly From our own consciences within us Fourthly From hell beneath us in respect of every one of these we have just cause to say Woe now unto us 1. From heaven above us â—hen we do contemplate the greatnesse and power of an incensed Judge how the Lord of Hâ—asts is up in armes against us how justice musters up her clouds aâ—d winds and stormes how thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands Dan. 7. dâ—ily march in his Army how he cometh with flames of fire rendring of vengeance how with him Judgement cannot be prevaricated no bribes will blinde his eyes no friends corrupt his affections mercy dares not plead tears will not be heard to speak who is able to stand before consuming fire who can dwell with everlasting burnings How the very Earth shall melt at his presence and the heavens be rowled up as in a scrowle before him how he will â—ip up the bowels of the heart it self and search the secrets of the soul how he found not stedfastnesse in his Angels and even the Starres are unclean in his sight How much more is man a worm even the Son of man which is but a worm If Moses could not abide his back parts how shall we endure his presence what can we conclude from this contemplation but with my Text Woe is unto us 2. One woe is past but behold a second If heaven do abandon us how shall the Earth comfort us If the Lord be against us how can I help was said by a King one as likely to help as any in the world We may well look about us but we shall finde with Ieremy our plague is desperate our wound is incurable When God is angry he infatuates even counsells quos perdere vult dementat He makâ—s abortive all policies you may learn it by Achitophels he suffers the Prophets themselves to provelyers as they did in perswading Abab to battail he turns the swords of Armies against themselves and their bows into their own bowels he makes them bring in a strong people to scourge themselves as Israel the Egyptians as children their own rod. He smites them with blindnesse and astonishment as he threatned Israel Deut. 28. 28. If we look to the Church we finde giddynesse to the Common-weal madnesse if without us to the North vae malum there is a mist to the South there ever and anon ariseth a cloud threatning a storm if within us we may say with the Apostle we are in perils by false Brethren there are Vipers which will eate up the bowels of the Mother that bred them treasons and conspiracies fill us with fears divisions and distractions adde unto our woes The world is by Plato compared to a shop almost whatsoever we look upon we may say with the buyer in Solomon malum est malum est it is naught it is naught We have cause enough if we consider it to say the second time Woe is now unto us 3. And yet behold a third though there be never so many troubles without us yet peace within us would afford us comfort but let us look within us and aske is it peace There is no peace unto the wicked our own consciences will tell us that They are witnesses to accuse us of sin and judges to condemne us to woe If they be quiet and trouble us not our woe is the greater because our consciences are secure but if troublesome how great is our woe They are the Books by which we shall be judged hereafter nay by them we may become our own judges now Search and see if in our own judgement we may not pronounce against our selves another woe how unsufferable are their checks how evident their accusations how faithfull their records others cannot read them and may judge us better then we are we which know them our selves if we will deal truly must needs pronource a righteous judgement and that is Woe be unto us because we have sinned 4. Three woes are past but behold a fourth It is St Bernards woe of his adding if we look below us we shall have cause to say it and there we shall finde the complement of all woe can you endure to hear that fearfull sentence depart you cursed without saying Woe be unto us how ready is the cruell executioner of souls the devill to hale us thither how wide hath hell opened her mouth to receive us there could we but hear the dismall groans and yelling cryes which they make that are swallowed up into the river of Brimstone Let Dives speak for the rest of his fellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am grievously tormented did we but beleeve the woefull extremity which they are in that are in utter darknesse Let our Saviours report work it into our faith it is weeping aâ—d wailing and gnashing of teeth night the duration of it not passe for a fable we have the everlasting Truth to confirme it there the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched have we not sufficient cause to cry out Woe be unto us How shall I make you say it if this will not hither we are judged if our judgement be right we must not favour our selves and say this shall not be unto us repentance cannot be true if partiall we must thus judge our selves that we may not be judged non sumus bis judicandi saith St Bernard God will spare us if we spare not our selves Let us cast our selves down at the footstool of his judgement Seat and confesse what we have deserved Let us come as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel with Sackcloth about our loynes and ropes about our heads 1 Kings 20. 32. such coming becomes us best this day Let us cast our selves out of heaven as expecting only wrath from thence out of the world as finding only miseries there out of our selves as feeling nothing but terrours there down even to hell it self whether we deserve to be for ever plunged Let groans fill our souls and tears our eyes vae vohis qui ridetis in such a day as this is and let our mouths be filled with cryes saying it often Woe now unto us that we have sinned But If the greatnesse of our misery have not sufficiently brought us to that yet the neernesse of it will work some true effects Things a farre of work upon our apprehension somewhat but not much upon our passion but passion must be set to work now this day is the passion day of repentance In two
hang by one Artery and have the rest disjoynted By faith and hope and not by love which is the bond of perfeâ—tion If we be wounded there is a repairing if loosed or strained there is a re-establishing if we be of the Body we must have love to all the members care of them all we must suffer with them suffer for them we must cover the blemishes hide the deformities of the parts upon those parts which we think most unhonest we must put more honesty and give the more honour to that part which lacketh Nature and religion both can by no means away with a scisme in the body If there be you be not of the body you cannot say the Text. We that are many are one Body And if we be not of this Communion which is Corporis we cannot be of the other which is Calicis that is Fundamentum Relationis and one bread of one body and of it sumus participes we all partake That of this simus consortes we may be all members To eat of that which is one all over the world as there was but one Lamb to an house so but one bread to the whole Church is the Symboll and Sacrament of one Union with the Body Non ex alio tu nec ex alio ille sed ex eodem omnes nutrimur saith Chrysostome It is but one mystically though numerically many And if but one bread shall we make the Table of the Lord the table of devils And partake of that with bitternesse and wrath If but one body shall we take the member of Christ and make it the member of an harlot of scisme and contention God Almighty grant that we may be all of one minde in one house being all members of one body that being united by one Spirit in one Religion in one Faith in one Hope we may serve one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour in one Love being entred by one Baptisme confirmed and strengthned by one Bread coupled and knit into one Body there be no scisme no division among us but that all the members have a care one of another and endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Till we all meet together into a perfect man and the Measure of the Age of the fulnesse of Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glory now and ever Amen THE SIXTH SERMON 1 JOHN 4. 1. Dearly beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God for many salse Prophets are gone out into this world I Must begin where the Text ends the last words of it are the reason of the first Quoniam is a causall Many false Prophets are gone out into this world Why what then Only this beleeve not therefore every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God I could not think of any subject more proper to this season or more profitable for our selves the old complaint is now if ever proved true the dayes are evill The world was never more rightly compared to a Sea then now men upon dry Land as if they were tossed in a rough Sea thorough staggering and giddinesse of their brains are driven to their wits end they look thorough the waves of their unconstant humours and prejuducate conceits which make the straightest things which have been so well settled with mature consideration and unquestioned authority seem to them crooked they complain that the shoars and trees are moved not perceiving how themselves are silently transported and that they move and not these they do not look that way which they row and yet as if they rushed not fast enough to their own destruction they hoise up their sails of fury and madnesse to precipitate them forward They think to make away in the Sea in which they cannot so much as spye out any prints of their steps which have gone before them nor must hope to leave any impression to be found by those which shall follow after God only knows what Port they are bound for I fear me the distraction if not distruction both of Church and state what else do so many fiery discursions abode the perverting of Scriptures pretending of Prophesies wracking of consciences the bold determinations of ignorant Mechanicks flying into the face of dignities and authority wounding thorough the sides of Ecclesiasticall Discipline the head of Monarchy and Government Do they not all huddle in at one gap to let in confusion and ruine Are they not fruitfull seeds which bring forth such a Monster which hath so frighted Germany these hundred yeers and will eat out the very bowels of the Mother which conceived them Is it because there is no Prophet in our Israel at whose lips may be inquired the knowledge of the Law Or is it not rather because there are too many Such which will take upon them tp be Prophets and are not called as was Aaron Which Prophesie in my name saith the Lord and I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them and yet they ran Jere. 14. 14 15. Is not Saul among the Prophets madnesse and cruelty And the devill gotten again into Samuels mantle malice and hypocrisie Is there not a lying spirit got into the mouth of these Prophets As was in Ababs dayes 1 Kings 22. 22. Do they not prophesie lyes unto us in the name of the Lord This this the true cause the Apostle tells in the last words of the Text For many false Prophets are gone out into this world This being the cause what Counsell is to be followed There are two rocks which we must necessarily avoide to beleeve all to beleeve none by beleeving all we rush presently into heresies and scisime by beleeving none we fall upon irreligion and Atheisme against the first the Apostle gives us a Caution Beleeve not every spirit Against the second this Counsell But try the spirits whether they be of God This is his to them to whom he writ this is mine to you to whom I speak Dearly beloved Beleeve not every spirit c. So the Text you see plainly supplies us with two parts First A premonition Secondly A premunition First For praemoniti Secondly Praemuniti First A warning of us Secondly An arming of us They are but two but we may say of them as our Saviour did of the Disciples two swords it is enough we need no more if we be well accoutred with them if thorowly instructed about them if we know how to prove them we shall by the grace of God quit our selves like men not to be put to turn to the right hand or the left but be able to stand fast in our faith till we be removed from our station from faith to fruition from these earthly Tabernacles unto heavenly Mansions from waging of warre and wrestling in combate against sin and errour to wearing of Crowns in immortality and glory We begin with
come to devour widows houses their substance and estates there can be no good lookt for from their coming They are of their Masters Profession and his name is Apollyon a destroyer and do but mark how they do ply his work they destroy even foundations themselves Faith Hope Love Obedience and if foundations be destroyed what shall the righteous do Other Reasons we might yeeld but these are enough to make us follow the Apostles counsell to mark those which make divisions and contentions which with fair speech and flattering deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 17 18. Indeed to warne us of them it is enough alone but to remember the Text it self Many fals Prophets are gone out into this world I passe to the second part The Premunition To be warned of them and not Armed against them is to little purpose we may be armed two wayes by the Text. First Negatively non credendo Secondly Affirmitively probando First Non Credendo Beleeve not every spirit Spirit and Prophet are here Synonima so Beza and the best expound it Metonimically it is put for him Every Prophet pretends he hath the Spirit Mabomet himself that grand Impostor stuck not to affirm that the spirit was his teacher By the name of the spirit they gain authority unto their Doctrines So as you have heard already The devil sendsforth his agents under the pretence of divinity But there is a lying spirit as well as a true one and here we have a caution de non Credendo Beleeve not every spirit It is not safe for any soul to be too credulous in matters of salvation to beleeve every report is in civill affairs an argument of greatest Levity much more in religious Credulity was the sin of our first parents Eve beleeved the Serpent Adam beleeved her I know when God speaks to beleeve him presently ea Credulitas semper magni fuit ingentis animi saith Saint Chrysostome it was Abrahams praise and the Virgins Maries But since lying spirits are gone out in the name of God credulity must needs be dangerous The foolish will beleeve every thing saith Solomon Prov. 14. 15. And the sonne of Syrach Eccle. 19. 4. He that is hasty to give credit is light minded This de non credendo then cannot but be a good watch word Beleeve not every spirit And the reason of it is It is alwayes best policy to watch that place where the enimy strives to enter ibi fortiter opponere ubi fortiter oppugnatur Satans chief battery is against our Faith we need not fear him much if he get not in at that poyson hath no hurt in it if it be not received nor false doctrines if not beleeved therefore his Agents work most upon credulous natures they commonly begin with weak and silly women which are easie to beleeve and creep into them and then by them winde themselves into the opinions and bosomes of weak and effâ—minate men The Devill never could do any thing if you would not beleeve him He requires Faith in his Auditors as well as God doth in his Belief is the only passage of all good or evill to the soul if that be easie to God he enters and with him all graces if open to the devill he enters and with him all vices Therefore Solomon bids us keep our heart with all diligence and especially that passage at which Satan so much seeks to enter which is beleeving And that we may the better keep our heart we should keep our ears too stop those outward passages hearken not to them Deut. 13. 3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of the Prophets or dreamer of dreams c. We let him in too neer if he get into the ear that passage he seeks to get first if he can have free accesse to the ear he will command the heart too ere he have done And that we may keep both our heart and ear we should keep our houses too not let them lye open to them it is not safe letting them come so neer us their desire is to creep in there first 2 Tim. 3. 6. But no deceitfull person shall dwell in my house He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight saith the Psalmist and these are Deceivers Matth. 24. 5. and Lyers 2 Thes 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Beloved let me not be mistaken I mean those false Prophets which are spoken in my Text which are gone out into the world which come unto you with damnable doctrines novelties sâ—ismes which sow divisions contentions debates among you which call themselves Prophets but are not sent and come in the name of the spirit but are not to be received for it is the Apostles caution Dearly beloved beleeve not every spirit But I mean not to insist longer upon this The second take up more time which is affirmative Probando But prove the spirits whether they be of God There is good reason for this rule to beleeve all tends to heresie and scisme for there are lying spirits 1 King 22. 22. Evill spirits Judges 9. 23. Vnclean spirits Luk. 4. 23. Spirits of errour 1 Tim. 4. 1. And therefore you have heard of the Apostles caution de non credendo Beleeve not every spirit But yet to beleeve none tends as much another way to irreligion and Atheisme for there is a spirit which is of God nay there are the seven spirits of God which are sent abroad into the world and these are to be beleeved Revel 5. 6. What is to be done that we may not be deceived We are now to hearken to the Apostles counsell Prove the spirits whether they be of God Now proving them is all the way we have to be safe from errour the false and lying spirit comes in the name of God to us as well as the righteous and true spirit dicit Dominus is the prologue ever to their lye 1 Kings 22. 11 12. In my name do they prophesie lyes saith the Lord himself Jere. 14. We cannot but mistake if we take all if we take none to take the right is to be take us to the rule to prove the spirits whether they be of God And now if ever we have need of proving we live in the last and perillous dayes where many spirits of errours are gone abroad and many are deceived by them those that are yet free or not so farre gone have reason to be both more thankfull unto God and more vigilant over themselves the name of the spirit is able to deceive the best and wisest If a bad one but come and as once the good spirit did Gen. 1. 2. incumhehat aquis be but incumbent there or rest and stay there God knowes what he may produce it concerns such especially to take heed to this rule to prove the spirits whether they he of God or no. And it is but the same which Saint Paul else where bids us Prove your selves 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove what things are well pleasing unto
God Ephes 5. 10. That ye may allow these things which are best Phil. 1. 10. Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. Try the spirits whether they be of God And now we go about the Tryall there are but two wayes that I know of but both are Demonstrative we may not in this case content our selves with probabilities or possibilities shews and apparances are no good grounds for our souls to take any thing upon trust our proof must be armour of proof or else we shall not be well appointed against them The first is à Priori the second à Posteriori from their calling from their conversation those two are the grounds we can only go upon First From their calling for they must have that or else they cannot be right No man takes upon him the honour unlesse he be called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. God himself renounceth them from being his if they come and be not sent if they run and be not commanded Jere. 14. If they be not sent by him you may soon conclude that they be not of God That you may understand this point more fully being a matter these times so much stand upon You must observe that there is a twofold calling by God 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary First Extraordinary which was in old times either spiritus Oris as Abraham Moses Samuel so the all the Apostles They were called by the voyce of Christ and sent into the world Or else ore spiritus by speciall instinct whereby they were inwardly furnished with all the gifts of the spirit necessary to that service whereto they were designed so were many of the Prophets Elias in the deplored estate of the Jews These wayes of calling are now ceased and not to be looked for The Anabaptists and their brood the Brownists which pretend Revelations and Dreams are not to be regarded By the instinct of the spirit of arrogancy and error do they take upon them to prophecy and of no other spirit at all though they come unto you in a mighty winde yet God is not in that winde you may not take those spirits to be of God 2. The other way of calling by God is his Ordinary calling and that is twofold Internall Externall 1. Internall and that is when a man findes himself furnished with gists fit sor that calling so saith Musculus and Zanchie They are the Talents with which Christ hath endued him for his service The search of this is left to every mans Conscience which desires the Ministery he shall be reckoned an Intrudor if he finde not these in some measure in himself and therefore in our Form of Consecration the Bishop asketh every one which cometh to be Ordained whether he do think himself to be inwardly called I confesse outward abilities others may judge of humane learning skill in Divinity sound Intellectuals by discourse by examination they come to be discovered but inward preparations they are from the Lord It is the height of arrogancy for any to take upon them to judge of them in others than themselves for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 11. God onely is the tryer of the heart and reins He proudly enters into Gods Judgment Seat which takes upon him to determine that If it be internall and secret how cometh it known to thee or me Let other judge of my abilities for the Function but the preparations of my heart are known onely to God and my self 2. Externall and that is Mediante Ecclesiâ Christ hath left the power unto his Church he called his Apostles they called others after them Titus had precept from Paul to ordain Ministers in every City Tit. 1. 5. So had Timotby by Imposition of hands 1 Tim. 5. 2. Christ cannot be visibly present the Heavens must contain him till his last Coming but by his Spirit he is present with his Church he calls by it those whom it balls lawfully we are to acknowledge to be called by God But whether it calls lawfully or no that is now called in question whether this Calling onely belong to the chief of the Church which are so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to all the mulâ—itude of beleevers Those that question it do withall question the Doctrine of our Church and if that which they dare not deny but was well setled by uncontroulable Authority cannot satisfie them how shall I Yet I shall adventure to lay my Axe unto the root of this Tree of pride and arrogancy which doth oppose it if so be it prove not as the young Prophets did which was but borrowed They that are for a populary election pretend two Arguments for the Confirmation The Scriptures and the Primitive times I shall satisfie both with their own principles 1. For the Scriptures their own rule is this That nothing bindes to a necessity of observation which hath not there an affirmative precept enjoyning it Let them stand but to this and be tried by themselves whether there be any such or no and whether they do well in imposing a necessity of things which are besides the rule Is there any let them demonstrate it and carry the cause Is there none let them see the invalidity and weaknesse of their Argument and relinquish it But They object the practice of the Apostles in their times there are many things which must go to make that an everlasting rule and not temporary those times and ours are not like and therefore not the like discipline I will name but one reason an essentiall one the true cause of that alteration that hath been in this point All the beleevers were then of one minde there was no danger of any schis◠〈◊〉 any rent to be made in the Church then of which innumerable have been since But yet that they cannot prove the multitude of the 〈◊〉 were present we will grant that and not onely with silence as some think but with suffrages as others without which there was no laying on of hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is suffragiis creare as Erasmus argues in the Election of Matthias to the Apostleship and the seven to the Deaconship let it be granted they were there that they sâ—â—e not onely still but said some what but gave their consent yet that was onely to their Ordination not to their Institution at the giving them power to preach not assigning them any place and I report me to any indifferent Judge whether that be not so done in our Churches Form of Ordination 2. For the Primitive times which succeeded the Apostles we may most admite of their inference from thence which have been ever most enimies to true anâ—iquity you I now how Episcopacy and Ceremony is opposed which themselves cannot deny but be grounded in Antiquity we may say most truly what Saint Augustine saith to some of the same sort Qui in Evangelio nihil nisi quod vultis