deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 wherein a new beginning and not an end of things doth seeme to be implied it may seeme that the Apostle doth misse his marke when he saith that the end of all things is at hand But I answer that both are true It is true that the creature shall be deliuered from vanitie and it is also true that they shall perish or that their end is at hand They shall perish in respect of their naturall and ciuill fashion 1 Cor. 7.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transâ—â—us accidâ—nâ—alis Eccles 1.4 2 Pet 3. as the Apostle saith The fashion of this world passeth away but they shall not perish in respect of their elements and elementarie materials For as Salomon saith The earth remaineth for euer and though the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat yet God shall but change them as a vesture and they shall be changed Psal 102.26 So that as once God sent water to cleanse and purge the earth and to restore it to a better state when the rebellions of the earth were washed out of Gods sight so God shall one day send his fire to burne vp the stubble of vanitie and consume all that drosse which sinne hath made in the creatures to what vse we shall know hereafter Here is the end of all things to wit a perishing from their present state and condition Thy end when thou shalt be left destitute of all outward supplies and stand naked before God to giue an account of all things which are done in the flesh whether good or euill The end when all outward necessaries delights and profits shall vanish away But how could the Apostle say 3 Is at hand that the end of all things is at hand when from this time there haue slid along aboue a thousand and six hundred yeeres I answer that yet this end might well be said to be at hand in diuers respects First in respect of God with whom a thousand yeeres is as one day and one day as a thousand yeeres 2 Pet. 3.8 There is no succession with God he being infinite yea he doth all things with one eternall and vndiuided act In which respect Iohn speakes of his time as of the last houre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh 2.18 and we may speake of ours as of the least and last degree of time in it Secondly in respect of Christ who is exhibited because after Christ his comming in the flesh and outward dispensing of the worke of our redemption the next act which doth remaine concerning him is his comming to iudgement God hath decreed his comming and promised it and prophesied of it God hath sent him and hath committed vnto him all authoritie and power and now what remaineth but the last time wherein he should publikely shew it by drawing his bodie into the same glory with the head such honour haue all his Saints Thirdly the end may be said to be at hand in respect of the course of time which is runne into the last age of the world which though it be not pointed at in particular because we should alwaies be prouided for it yet is it in generall because we might not be without warning Hence is it that as there were six daies in the Creation before the Sabbath so there are reckoned vp six ages of the world before our sabbatisme commeth in the day of Christ as they are manifestly distinguished in the Scriptures The first age is from Adam to Noahs floud which was of ten generations 2 Pet 2.5 and this is called the old world The second is from the Floud to Abraham which is also of ten generations and here Matthew beginneth the genealogie of Christ The third is from Abraham to Dauid of fourteene generations The fourth is from Dauid to the captiuitie of Babylon of fourteene generations The fift is from the captiuitie of Babylon to Christ of fourteene generations all which are reckoned by the Holy Ghost Matth. 1.17 The sixt age of the world is the age of â—hrist In which respect it may well be called the last daies and the last time aâ—ter which remaineth the rest for the people of God Lastly the end may be said to be at hand in respect of the state and condition of the world since Christs time which hath bowed and declined vnto her crutches as wee may see in two things First in the malignitie of her diseases which haue euer since brought her towards her graue of destruction If you aske mee what these diseases are I answer sinnes especially the mysterie of Antichrists iniquitie which begun to worke euen in Pauls time 1 Thess 2.7 1 Thess 2.4 and hath by little inthroned it selfe euen in the temple of God to the dishonour of God and discomfort of his people We ordinarily say that then the end of a man approacheth when the vitall parts decay and sicknesse getteth the vpper hand so when the Church decayeth and sinne Satan and Antichrist preuaile it may well be said that the end draweth on Secondly as the worlds diseases doe argue that the end is at hand so let it not be ouer-curious to say that the conquest which fire getteth ouer the world may perswade vs also in some measure that it is euen so indeed Fire incroacheth vpon the world in dwarfing the creatures All things waxe lesse and lesse things or persons ordinarily neither grow so great nor continue so long Consumente ubertate seminum exustione as they haue in former times First came the water abounding with moisture and the world flourished with giants and mighty creatures but now the fire is entring its kingdome and the world is pestered with little creatures for the heat consumeth the moisture and shall in processe of time burne the whole world Thus we haue considered the Apostles doctrine and cast vp the summe to be thus much that the time approacheth when God by fire will giue an end to the present state and condition of all outward things We will now looke no further for Vses of this point then to the words of the Apostle Let me say vnto you therefore suffer the words of exhortation that we be sober that we watch and that we watch vnto prayer in these last and miserable daies wherein we liue Vse 1 First seeing the end of all things is at hand let vs be sober For the pressing of this Be sober consider with me two points First wherein sobrietie standeth and secondly what motiues may stirre vs vp to the practise of it As to the first if you aske me wherein Sobriety standeth I answer Wherein sobrietie standeth As drunkennesse doth not onely stand in an immoderate and vnmeasurable drinking of wine or beere but also in a spirituall doating and surfetting vpon and with any of the outward things of this life according
Pet. 2.11 12. abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and haue your conuersations honest amongst the wicked both that they who speake euill of you as of euill doers may glorifie God in the day of their visitations and also that you may assure your selues that you are in Christ by being new creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Thess 2.7 Dearely beloued Antichrist also and his mystery of iniquitie hath alreadie wrought euen from the Apostles times and is so farre growne past his height that his raging time is come because his time is but short Therefore Beware of dogs Phil. 3.2 beware of euill workers For there are false teachers which priuily 2 Pet. 2.1 Marke 8.15 with many false glosses bring in damnable heresies But take heed and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies Matth. 7.16 By their fruits ye shall know them 1 Tim. 4.1.3 They forbid mariage and meats by the doctrine of deuils and serue not the Lord Iesus Rom. 16.18 but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple They despise gouernment 2 Pet. 2.10 and feare not to speake euill of them that are in dignitie They haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse Vers 14. Vers 16. eyes full of adultery tongues that speake swelling words and boast of high matters They are brute beasts lead with sensualitie Vers 12. and made to be taken at the last and destroyed 2 Pet. 3.17 18. But beware lest yee be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Finally brethren 2 Cor. 13.11 fare yee well be of one minde and liue in peace Gal. 5.15 If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed lest ye be deuoured one of another All which that it may the better be effected Gal. 4.19 my little children of whom I haue trauelled in birth Heb. 13.17 for whose growth I shal trauell I beseech you obey me still who haue the ouersight of you in the Lord and submit your selues for I desire to watch for your soules as one that must giue accounts that I may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that will be vnprofitable for you Now because my hearts desire is Rom. 10.1 that you may be saued and that to this end I may still pray for you and shew you the good way therefore I humbly pray the very God of peace to sanctifie you throughout 1 Sam. 12.23 1 Thess 5.23 and that your whole spirits and soules and bodies may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ So prayeth he who desireth that his ministerie amongst you may be a sauour of life vnto life euen your euer-louing Shepherd and Watch-man ROBERT ABBOT Faults escaped PAge 20. line 10. reade brethren for brother p. 22. l. 30. r. in the mids of for about p. 39. l. 22. r. yee for yea p. 40. l. 7. r. him for whom p. 44. l. 14. adde to seruice in an and l. 15. adde to vnknowne tongue p. 56. l 22. r. in them for them in p. 62. l. 1. r. mouings for meanings p. 71. l. 15. r. parly for partie p. 84. l 9. r. fiue for fine p. 113. marg r. Gal. 2. for Apoc. p. 118. l. 21 r. and for in l 22. r. thy for the and wherein for whereof p. 129. l. 26. betweene â—he second and the third word put in liue in sinne p. 136. l. 1. for I am r. am J p. 184. l. 12. betweene the eight and the ninth words put in powers of TO HIS REVEREND and right Worshipful brethren the Preachers of the glorious Gospell within the Deanery of Charing in Kent ROBERT ABBOTT their fellow-Souldier for the maintenance of the Gospell wisheth faithfulnesse and constancie to the end Right Worshipfull Reuerend and beloued WHom our gracious God hath vnited in one common seruice I neither can in affection nor could in Epistle at this time seuer especially considering that what I shall say to one is fitly appliable to you all My request only is that what I speak freely to one may with a louing and yeelding acceptance bee entertained of all as the messenger of an honest heart desirous to stirre vp the grace of God which is in you and to prouoke your willing mindes I remember what is sayd of the sacke of Beniamin by the way when the sacke was opened Sacco soluto reluxit argentum the money appeared which though I cannot apply to what I haue sayd in my Sermon or shall say at this time yet this I will say that no packet shall be opened wherein you shall discouer more loue and intention of spirit to do your soules good Mans good thoughts were not giuen him for himselfe only but for communication For if they had as the Gâ—d of Nature would not haue taught the tongue to speake them so the God of Art would not haue taught the pen to write them This is the cause that what meditations God hath briefly put into my heart to warme my selfe those haue and shall I more largely blowe and kindle to heate you all in that ministeriall course in which God hath set you I presuppose these two propositions to be Gods truth First that the Churches speciall seruants are of Gods sending And secondly that it is necessary that the people to whom wee preach should be perswaded of it Is not Ierusalem which is aboue the Mother of vs all VVhence then should wee expect all her seruitours not left free to her selfe but from our fathers appointment Yet what though we are called by God will it euer be so comfortable vnto vs if the people to whom we are sent do not know it We would willingly that they should heare what we speake in Christs stead not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God which yet they can neuer do except they are perswaded that wee are sent of God It is therefore worth our marking to see how the Apostle labours the perswasion of this point For himselfe hee doth still vrge his mission That the Gospell which he preached was not after men but that hee was called by God And for all others hee calleth them Souldiers as hauing receiued their presse from God and Ministers that all the world may know that God keepeth the royalty of his Office in his owne hand and makes vs his Seruants yea Cryers to lend our good will and voyce to his matters to bee published No doubt the holy Ghost foresaw the necessity of this perswasion not only that the ministery might haue the greater attention and respect giuen vnto it but that Lydeas heart might be opened Felix might tremble the Iewes might be pricked in their very hearts and made to crye out Men and brethren what shall wee doe to be saued Yea and the secrets of hearers hearts might be made manifest and they may fall downe on their faces and
vsurie to the pit of hell as God shall cleerely manifest vnto vs what it is and as we alreadie doe so farre as we are come To the second question I answer that if we did permit vsurie yet it cannot stand in equall ballance with a stewes for to sinne against a mans goods is lesse than to sin against a mans person and continuance and chaste preseruation in this world That God that will establish the chaire of estate to superiours in the fifth commandement will giue superiours chiefly in charge the life of man in the sixt next to that that their life may not stinke to heauen will haue it preserued by honestie in the seuenth next to that because honest persons must be maintained by honest meanes will haue iustice in the eighth in the ninth commandement that honest meanes may bee settled vpon honest persons will haue truth vsurie therefore failing against the iustice of the eighth commandement though detestable in it selfe yet from Gods order seemes to me to be of a shorter size than the Stewes which fighteth against the person in the seuenth The last beautie of our religion which I shall speake of is this That our religion needs not policie to maintaine it It hath preuailed in all ages since Iesus Christ against all power against all policie The bloud of the Martyrs hath bin the dung of our Church And as Pharaohs policy when he would work most wisely could not preuaile against Israel so in the greatest Egyptian darknesse vnder the dominion of Antichrist our Church could not be so obscured but that she hath felt the strength of Romes policy the stroke of her power without her subuersion And at the time when it pleased God to make light to shine out of darknesse that our religion might by degrees climbe againe to its wonted glorie what could the power of the Emperour with the policie of the Pope preuaile against a poore weake man Luther who came with the spirit of power in the name of the Lord For the further propagating of our religion it neither hath neither doth it stand in need of policie If wee should hold a Councell wee need none of the trickes of the Councell of Trent We need not either propound our Canons in such ambiguous termes as will admit of diuers constructions Vpsalensis and Armachanus were created Arâ—h bishops as we reade in the Councell of Trent who yet were Nullatâ—ncases like the ancient Oracles of Apollo neither need wee to create either Archbishops or Bishops to fill vp the number that our voyce may be the more full who haue neither Church nor Diocesses Wee need no bloudie Inquisition to clap the title and punishment of an Heretike vpon euerie one who doth smell either by conuersation or conference of a religion opposite to vs wee need not that Idoll sacrifice of the Masse to fill our purses that poore and poeticall conceit of purgatory to warme our kitchins their Auricular confession to make vs terrible by being of the secretest counsell wee defie to purge either Fathers or any other Authors of their true meaning to make them our witnesses or to be so exact in the prohibition of Hereticall bookes Mar. Anto. de Dom. prosectionis consilium p. 8. 9. that carefull Students in Diuinitie yea Bishops may not reade bookes contrarie to our opinion without licence wee say with the Apostle Iudge yee what I say doe not sweare to the truth of our words except ye finde them so yea of the common people into whose hands many Popish bookes doe fall wee doe but desire this fauour that they would reade them with our answers and humbly desire God that they may finde out the truth remembring thaâ— sweet speech of our blessed Sauiour Iohn 7.17 If any man will doe Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether we speake of our selues Pia mendacia We abhorre godly lies as they terme them to worke deuotion blinde obedience equiuocating can finde no countenancing amongst vs yea our religion perswades to die and manfully to confesse the name of Iesus rather than thus to lye Neither these nor any other trickes of policie blessed be God doe we stand in need of but confidently expect the turning of Achitophels wisdome into folly and the ruine of the spirituall Egypt and Sodome of Rome in Gods due time notwithstanding all her politike factors and agents throughout the Christian world Thus haue we considered the first motiue to further our desiâ—es to be and to be still of the true Church amongst vs. The second is that in it we may inquire 2 Matter of direction in it and haue full and sound direction to bring vs to life eternall And that it is thus amongst vs may be seene in two things First in this that we haue the oracles of God to consult withall Rom. 3.2 as the Apostle calleth the Scriptures Euery meane Artizan with vs may winde vp his heart from all the distractions and troubles of this world by a daily conferring with God out of the diuine acts of his owne heauenly wisdome The booke of God is or may be in euery mans house and hands And if the word of the great Cham of Tartarie standeth for a law because he is blasphemously called of his subiects the sonne of God and the shadow of God Filius Dei Vmbra Dei Anima Dei. Colos 3.16 and the soule of God then infinitely more worthily doe we account the word of our God to be a law vnto vs it being the shadow of his wisdome And therefore he commanding the Colossians no vnnecessarie obedience we hold it as necessarie for vs that the word of Christ dwell plentifully in vs. Yea we account it our happinesse that as in the Island Rhodes the Sunne is neuer so masked with a cloud but that once in a day it doth shine vpon it so our worldly imployments doe neuer so dampe and darken our spirituall life light and heat but that there is or may be at the least some little comfortable intercourse betweene vs and the word of God day by day if we be not our owne enemies We are sure that we are bound to follow Gods will and therefore we are not afraid to know it Yea we hold it our dutie as Gods children to looke into our Fathers Will and Testament that we may be the better furnished not to breake it And if at any time we neglect the reading and searching of the holy Scriptures we doe desire God that he would send his fatherly rod to whip vs vp to more diligence and to say vnto vs as Aristippus said vnto one who asked him what was become of the friendship betweene him and Aeschines It is asleepe but I will awake it Can we thinke it a fault deseruing burning to haue and to reade a Bible in our natiue tongue Or can we be so miserable as not to obey God in reading
conscience to doe its office without checke To disturbe Commissioners of what kinde soeuer Sedente Cuâ—ia while they sit doth aggrauate the Delinquents fault and hinder their speed in the businesse so is it in our not suffering conscience to worke Call we our selues therefore from all the imployments of this world examine we our hearts on our bed in our chambers and be still and then if our consciences acquit vs from all wilfull sinnes happy are we The third meanes is our not suffering our seruants to beare rule within vs that is our lusts passions affections desires and the like In a popular and heady tumult yee know it is a long time before a wise man can be heard As therefore when one perswaded Lycurgus that the gouernment might be committed to the people hee answered Doe thou first make triall in thy house giuing thy seruants the rule So let vs say to the Deuill labouring the rule of our affections and desires Beare thou no longer rule in the children of disobedience and suffer thy slaues to rule ouer thee first and then we will hearken vnto thee If the minde rule according to right and be not blinded and bribed by the Will and Affections then Conscience will worke but if the seruants rule then truly there will be no place for an Assize In the feare of God let vs vse these meanes to further this diuine worke that so as Pausanias said to a Physitian who told him all was well with him It is saith he because I vse not thee for my Physitian we may not say to our flattering consciences which tell vs all is well when all is amisse it is because I haue not thee for my Iudge We come now to the second generall proposition from these reasoning thoughts which is this We may pleade our cause before the barre of our consciences Gen. 3.9 Gen. 4.6.9 10. that We may reason out our cause before the barre of our Consciences For these reasonings here spoken of are within Hence is it that God said to Adam Where art thou and to Kain Why art thou wroth where is thy brother Abel what hast thou done To all which questions he could well enough answer himselfe but that he would haue them returne vnto their owne hearts Redire ad corda Luk. 15. and come vnto themselues as it is said of the prodigall and say I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne For want of this God complained and said Ier. 8.6 I harkned and heard and none spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done that is they did not reason out their cases with themselues To this Dauid exhorted the Courtiers of Saul Commune with your hearts Psal 4.4 and Dauid practised it himselfe saying Psal 42.5 Why art thou heauy ô my soule and why art thou disquieted within me yea and Christ sought to bring his Disciples to this when he said I haue chosen you twelue but one of you is a Deuill and againe One of you shall betray mee that they might say within themselues Is it I and Is it I And no doubt this was one cause why he said so often to Peter Louest thou me and that the Angell when Agar fled from her mistresse said vnto her Whence camest thou and whither goest that they should reason out their cases before their owne hearts and speed accordingly Vse Oh the goodnesse of God! How great hath he manifested it vnto vs euen in this particular For as hee hath not by this meanes left vs without a good way to goe to the knowledge of our selues Ego Rex meus that so we may neuer climbe to Wolsies stile I and my King but may feelingly descend to Pauls free confession I am the least of Saints the greatest of â—inners so also hath he not this way depriued vs of means to warne vs of our future estate If our hearts condemne vs God is greater therefore according to the reasonings within we shall know how we shall speed with God As Ionathan shot forth pricke-shafts to warne Dauid of the Kings â—ispleasure so conscience if we arraigne our selues before it will warne vs of the displeasure or fauour of God As we loue our selues therefore let vs not neglect this kindnesse on Gods part and dutie on ours We may easily find by experience the backwardnesse of our natures vnto it for let our hearts tell vs of any of our wandrings we put it off till another time as Foelix did Paul But will wee be so vnkind to our owne souleâ— We will talke with our friends with our acquaintance wiâ—h strangers yea and with our enemies why then shall wee not doe it with our selues Bee-masters tell vs that they are the bâ—st hiues which make the greatest noise so that is the best conscience which makes the greatest noise in this kinde If we neuer goe to bâ—d before wee haue parlied it out throughly with our hearts then as wee shall finde of our selues as Alexander said of Antipater that hee did weare white garments without and was purple within so we will giue God no rest till we find some confortable testimonie of our amendment As therefore Dauid said vnto Solomon Vp and be doing so let vs delaies breed danger if in any thing much more in this Stirre we therefore vp our hearts by considering these â—otiues First that by this meanes wee shall know how the case stands with vs that we may be helped in time When wee turne not our eye from him that is in misery but talke with him we are in the way throughly to know his case and the better prepared to make our hand to worke his good so when we will commune with our owne hearts In ordine ad salutem wee are in the way to our eternall helpe and good Secondly that by this wee shall know how God will deale with vs hereafter our consciences doe begin thâ— worke the God of our consciences will second and follow it O therefore forget it not begin this worke euen while yee are about this businesse reason with your hearts what yee goe about in whose presence and for whose sake yee execute these iudgements of God If your busie braines shall put you off and make you say to conscience as Saul to the Priest readie to sacrifice when his enemies were vpon him withdraw thy hand Remember as it is with men deepely in debt so long as they are busie and keepe their trading currant so long their creditors let them alone but when once they make fault then one partie after another and one writ vpon the necke of another creepes abroad in darknesse till they bee quite downe the winde so will it be with you and vs all when once the course of our liues makes default by affliction sicknes or death then our consciences will make one summons after another and giue vs no rest
that we may be afraid to abuse our consciences for this we may be assured of that though our consciences be calmed for a time yet as Nycippus his sheepe brought forth a Lion which portended to tyrannie so our consciences which seeme to be as quiet as lambes will at the last bring forth roaring as a presagement of our eternall thraldome Soli Deo gloria THE HID MAN OF THE HEART VPON 2 CORINTH 5.17 By ROBERT ABBOT LONDON Printed by John Haviland for Nathaniel Butter 1623. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR HENRY BAKER Knight and Baronet and to the Lady KATHERINE his religious and louing Wife Grace in this world and glory in the world to come through CHRIST our LORD RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL The rule is not more old than good Ingenuum est fatâ—râ— per quem profâ—â—cris That it is an ingenuous thing to confesse by whom we reape profit Hauing therefore by good proofe found your hands not to be sealed vp to me though I beg no new fauours because through Gods mercy I haue learned to want and to abound and in all estates to be content yet I humbly beseech you to giue me leaue freely to acknowledge your loue vnto me It was not wiâ—hout your charge that I came first to settle in this Couâ—â—ry neither haue I here continued without the inlargement of my Librarie by your Bookes bestowed vpon me What therefore can I render vnto you besides my publike Ministerie but some such poore acknowledgment as this is A plaine Sermon I confesse it is yet such an interpreter of my heart that I hope you shall plainly see my honest desires to lay before you a picture of your together with the rest of Gods peoples gratious estates It was a vse in rich mens feasts Herodot lib. 3. amongst the Aegyptians of old to appoint one who should shew a wodden carkasse of a man liuelily cut out to euery guest and to say to this effect So eat drinke and delight thy selfe as withall thou cast thy eye vpon this which sheweth thee what thou shalt be when thou art dead It may be this spirituall anatomie which I offer vnto you may haue as good a vse to call backe our ouer-lauish loues from the delights of this world by shewing vs either what we are or what we should be What though it be rudely cut yet when I remember a worthy speech of your owne What care I for a young man who can talke of genus and species and other logicall and philosophicall subtleties giue me an experienced Preacher who can speake to the heart I cannot doubt of your louing entertainment of this my homely worke I know you neglect not any humane Arts prouided they doe prepare and not imprison our wits from more noble imployments Modo praepareat noâ— detincâ—â—t ingentum it hath beene your glory to be well seene in some of them yet when I doe consider what S. Augustine saith if my memory faile not Surgâ—â—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—orâ—â— trâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 The vnlearned arise and take heauen by violence whereas great Doctors are thrust into Hell and when I see that many thriue in grace who haue no learning but Scripture and no eloquence but what conscience doth dictate I cannot but humbly pray to God that you may alwaies be of that minde which you dâ—e d scouer in that gratious speech I know right well that they are to be found in the world who will lay other draughts of holinesse before you than you shall here finde They will tell you of Masses of haire-cloth of whippings of pilgrimages and other penances and were it not that God hath taught you already to discouer the hypocrisies of these and to see that to stop the mouth of conscience for a time they may be practised by the wickedest wretches they might haply preuaile with you being gilded ouer by the subtleties of Antichrist But blessed be God your soules are from amongst Lions and I hope you haue beene longer trained vp in Christs schoole than to be so gulled with such impostures My care and prayer to God for you shall rather be that yee may adorne the profession of the Gospell which yee haue vndertaken There are too many in the world who with Caius Curio are singularly eloquent Lin. vitae ex vell Patâ—râ— lib. 2. and wittily wicked but how much better is it to haue a flower tongue and a duller braine with more true godlinesse and honestie Goe on I humbly beseech you to be recluses from the world and from the wickednesse of it And because there are many who are like Copronimus of whom it is said Neâ— ChristianuÌ„ nec Iudaeum nec Paganum fuâ—sse sed colluuiâ—m quandam impietatis that though he would be called a Christian yet he was neither Christian nor Iew nor Pagan but a very sinke and puddle of sinne thâ—refore how will it honour such persons as yee are to redeeme the câ—edit of the Gospell fâ—om obloquie and to honour God by sincere and constant practises of pietie They lay a kinde of disgrace vpon God as well as vpon the Gospell that would be accounted Christians and yet are not good If a King should send with instructions for the presenting of his person and will to another Prince such a messenger as could not execute it did it not lay this disgrace vpon him that he is not able to chuse a fit person to doe his businesse So is it disgracefull to God to send such an one into the world in his name and with the honourable title of his seruant yea Sonne who doth the errand of the world the flesh and the deuill rather than of him whose name he beareth That therefore the censure of the Cynick vpon the common people who did highly extoll those that contemned money and yet were very money-mongers themselues may not fall vpon you let it be your glory and your reioycing not onely to praise and countenance the vertuous but also as you haue begun to be of the same knot and blessed societie I know that this must be effected by a spirituall death vnto the world and sinne but if it were a comfort to be put to death with Phocion 〈…〉 because Phocion was innocent and well-deseruing of the Common-wealth then how much comfort may it be vnto vs to haue fellowship in the death of Christ to our death vnto sinne and in his resurrection to our rising vnto newnesse of life This Sermon shall through Gods blessing a little helpe you forward in this gracious worke in which respect my humble suit vnto you is that you would be pleased to vse it as your owne I was loth to let you passe amongst my publike acknowledgments of others loues though I cannot at thiâ— tiâ—e giue you what place you haue and I would be lotâ— that now I doe shew my selfe vnto you I should not giue you that content which I desire To end in a word SIR let me put you
without it Thus we shall resemble that man after Gods owne heart Psal 84. whose soule longed and fainted for the Courts of the Lord. Fourthly we must desire the word by supernaturall instinct By instinct Babes in desiring the dugge doe not respect the profit the pleasure the goodnesse and nourishment of it but are carried vnto it by a naturall instinct so we must be addicted vnto the word not for eloquence learning law or times sake but by a supernaturall instinct and spirituall inclination to seeke nourishment from thence from whence we receiued our being in grace Let these foure be tokens of our nâ—w â—irth which if wee finde in our soules yea but in desire prouided there be a purpose and endeuour to increase let me then say vnto vs all with ioy that if we care a while we shall be for euer safe Secondly we may know that we receiue motion from Christ our head How wee may know that wee receiue motion from Christ our head if our heads and hearts be not moued to the world as the world but as it may be in any of the kindes of it a testimonie of Gods loue and a necessarie supply for our pilgrimage in this vale of teares It is true â—hat Agar may be in the familie for seruice but Sarah must be mistresse Abraham may build a Groue for his delight Gen. 21.33 â—ut hee must not forget God but call vpon the Lord the euerlasting God there The things of this world are but left-hand blessings and they must be vsed accordingly We all feele to our griefe that naturally we are carried to the earth but Christ swayeth his members another wâ—y For as it is wiâ—h the waters of the Sea though by their naturall course they follow the Center yet by obedience to the Moone they are subiect to her motion As it is conceiued and resolued by the wise men of nature and so turne and returne ebbe and flow and are kept in continuall motion to keepe them from corruption so is it with Christs members though by their owne motion they are carried to the earâ—h yet by obedience to Christ their first mouer they seeke the things that are aboue to keepe themselues from corrupting Lastly we may know that we as members doe worke for Christ How wee may knoâ— that wee worke for Christ our head if we seeke to aduance the honour of Christ in all things but especially in our selues If we looke into our owne soules wee shall finde that there is a cursed carnall wisdome which will worke a glorying in our worldly happinesse and an aduancing of our owne righteousnesse and moralitie together with a drawing vs to pride our selues in the many graces which God hath giuen vs. But if wee can wisely separate the worke of Christ from our owne working and when we feelingly consider our selues cry out with that holy Martyr Gehennah sum Domine I am hell Lord I am hell and with the blessed Apostle I am the least of Saints I am the chiefe of sinners and notwithstanding all the graces that are in vs to say in humble wise with the same Apostle I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.25 and againe thanks be to God for his vnspeakable gift then with a holy confidence in the merits of our Sauiour wee may write our selues members of Christ Thus I hope that through Gods goodnesse I haue in some measure satisfied the first demand and made it appeare vnto vs how wee may discerne our selues to be the members of Christ What are those gifts of members which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ The second question may be this What are those gifts which we doe receiue in our ingrafting into Christ by which it may be manifested vnto vs that we are new creatures and in Christ I answer that there are many gifts which God bestowes vpon vs at that time but I shall onely speake of those that are most sensible in their working as being most manifest discouerers of our new estates in Christ These gifts are two The first is the death of sinne the second is the life of grace Sinne must die and by degrees perish Grace must liue and by degrees flourish in vs if we be new creatures in Christ First sinne must die in vs. This the Apostle expresseth by mortifying our earthly members Mortification by crucifying the old man with the lusts thereof and by casting off concerning our conuersation in times past Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 Eph. 4.22 which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts For the effecting whereof I would haue you distinctly conceiue these two points First what we must doe against sinne Secondly what we must suffer for the death of sinne As for our doing against sinne we must imitate the crucifying of Iesus Christ What we must doe against sinne which is an exact patterne of Gods iustice against sinne First wee must attache sinne by not suffering it freely to doe that mischiefe which it hath done It hath conuersed formerly in our soules without controll but now we must begin to thinke that it is possible for sin to be our enemie We must suspect it of felonie and treason against God therefore we must lay hands vpon it and resolue that it shall not haue that liberty to play its prancks as it hath had This counsell Paul giues to the Romanes when he saith Let not sinne reigne that is Rom. 6.12 13. call the authoritie of it into question giue not your members as weapons vnto it call in your forces from it and put it in hold that it may be forth-comming to answer that which shall be laid vnto its charge Secondly We must arraigne sinne by bringing of it vnto a iudiciall triall before the barre of our consciences as before Gods deputie We must examine it vpon the dishonour which it hath done to the God of mercy the wounds it hath made in our soules and the hurt it hath done to all which wee are and haue want of this it was that God complained of by Ieremy when hee hearkened and heard and no man spake aright saying What haue I done That is Ier. 8.6 no man betweene God and his owne soule called his sinne to an account Thirdly wee must indite sinne by making the accusation of it as large as the flying booke of Zacharies curses As if we should say O my God Zach. 5.2 this rebell sinne dishonoureth thee defaceth thy image makes me like the deuill hides thy fatherly countenance from me grieues thy spirit and wounds my conscience Luk. 15.17 18 19 and the like Thus the prodigall laid to the charge of sinne that he died for hunger that he had sinned against heauen that he departed from his father and that he was not worthy to be his sonne 1 Cor. 11.31 Fourthly we must condemne sinne by iudging of it out of measure sinfull and our selues for it worthy of
seuen children by foure or fiue seuerall women See my Serm. vpon Psal 27.4 These and all other doctrines of the like stampe which I haue touched in another place we renounce and presse both in publike and priuate 2 Cor. 7.1 the cleansing of our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and growing vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God together with the approuing of our selues to be liuely professors of the truth by a liuing faith bringing forth fruits vnto God Thirdly they will tell you of the humilitie of their religion 3 Humilitie Oh how they reuerence their Priests Altars and Images How doe they come to God by Angels and Saints and how doe their sackcloth and ashes appeare to the world but watch ouer these things and thinke vpon these two things First that the humilitie of the Popish religion is not such as they pretend They proudly will haue some share in their owne conuersions and therefore they will haue their owne free wills part-stakes with the grace of God yea and why should wee not say that they will proudly be ioynt-purchasers of heauen with Christ seeing they teach the doctrine of merits Roma Irrec §. 9. pag. 88. Vno ex meritis Christi sibi per gratiam communicatis altero ex meritis proprijs Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustific cap. 7. In which respect if my memorie faileth mee not Bellarmine is charged to say That a iust man hath a double right to the same glory the one from the merits of Christ communicated to him through grace and the other from his owne merits And though he saith indeed that hee who would haue any confidence in his owne merits must not be proud yet as it is most likely he espying pride in their greatest humilitie resolueth that it is safest for vs to put our trust in the mercie of God May we not also see pride euen in the head of their religion the Pope 2 Thess 2. who doth exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God and that is worshipped Yea we doe see it and we hate to thinke that he that calleth himselfe The seruant of seruants and should be an humble Father in the Church of God should so Lord it ouer the whole Church which is a burden vnsupportable and ouer the consciences of men which is Gods prerogatiue Secondly put case their humilitie were as they say doe we not know that they of old haue crept into the Church of God who haue beene the patron and defenders of falsehood vnder this pretence Yee know how it was in the Church of the Colossians there were some who brought in worshipping of Angels and other traditions vnder â—hat pretence Coloss 2.18 but the Apostle saith Let no man beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of minde What though it make a great shew in the eyes of men I confesse saith the Apostle that these things speaking of the worshipping of Angels and other traditions haue a shew of wisdome in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the bodie Vers 23. not hauing it in any estimation in regard of the flesh as the Papists who doe boast of fasting sack-cloth and other penances yet they must neuer the sooner be approued or practised of vs. Fourthly they will tell you of their learning miracles and great dangers which they doe vndergoe Learning euen for Religion sake But watch distinctly ouer these things that they gaine not vpon vs to entertaine that doctrine with which they may infect and poison vs. As for their learning remember these things First we haue heard them of old crie out against the basenesse of our vnderstandings Rhem. Testam in Heb. 5.9 and boast of the deepenesse of their learning and profoundnesse of the mysteries of their Religion as if the feeblenesse in the Faith Rhem. Test in Heb. 5.11 and weaknesse of vnderstanding in the Primitiue Church were not able to comprehend them and that therefore belike they were reserued in sacred tradition til the more ripe age of the Church Thus they boast of the deepe mysteries of their Idoll-Masse that they may the better thrust it vpon the Church without warrant from God in his word Secondly though we hate and abhorre all traditionall learning that is against Gods word and can call it none other than our blessed Sauiour called the learning of that Prophetesse Iezabel namely The deepenesse of Satan Apoc. 2.24 what shew soeuer it carrieth to outward view yet we freely acknowledge their learning wherein it appeareth in truth and wish that they would vse it better than to make it an instrument to fight against the truth Thirdly put case that their learning were neuer so great yet it should not moue vs against the truth I know it was cast as a choake-peare in the teeth of those officers who gaue good testimonie of Iesus Christ Iohn 7.48 Doe any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees who are wise and learned men beleeue in him But when we doe remember the thanksgiuing of Iesus Christ vnto his Father Matt. 11.25 26. Because he had hid the mysteries of the Gospell from the wise and men of vnderstanding and opened them vnto babes euen because his good pleasure was such and when we doe withall consider what Paul saith That not many wise men after the flesh 1 Cor. 1.26 27. not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise we cannot thinke that learning and religion cannot be diuorced or that we must presently embrace the doctrine of them who bring learning in their mouthes Miracles To come in the second place to their Miracles which they so much pretend wee know that they are powerfull to perswade people yet when we doe consider that the miracles of the Primitiue Church are sufficient to confirme primitiue doctrine Iohn 10.41 and that all that Iohn preached may be true though he did no miracle and also that the Church of Rome were not Antichristian if it should not pretend miracles 2. Thess 2.9 Apoc. 13.13 we cannot presently conclude that he is no dreamer or inticer to false gods Deut. 13.1 2. who can giue a signe or wonder that commeth to passe Sufferings Lastly as for their sufferings for religion we know that many Heretickes haue died in a stiffe maintenance of their cursed conceits 1 Cor. 13. and that the Apostle implieth that it is possible for a man to giue his bodie to be burned and not haue charitie In which respects though sometimes wee see Priests and Iesuits like Pharisees compassing sea and land to winne a Romish proselite and at the last to come to the Gallowes iustly prouided for them when they haue fallen out of the way of Religion into the way of Rebellion yet wee cannot thinke their doctrine which they teach against vs to be more true Oh therefore let neither
life but as it doth vnite and knit vs vnto Iesus Christ Notwithstanding because without faith we cannot be knit vnto him who is our life therefore wee are said to liue by faith Which to conceiue you must know that there is a threefold life of man First that which doth consist of being life motion and sense and thus wee are said to liue a sensitiue life Secondly that which doth consist of being life motion sense and reason and thus wee liue a reasonable life Thirdly that which doth consist of being life motion sense reason and religion and so faith giueth vs our gracious liuelihood For therefore is the Church called The land of the liuing because it is the company of beleeuers Psal 142.5 and that word which is called the word of faith is therefore called the word of life Hence also Christ saith Iohn 6.47 that he that beleeueth hath life and Peter calleth Christians 1 Pet. 2.5 Liuing stones because by faith they grow vp into a holy building yea and they are said to be begotten to a liuing hope 1 Pet. 1.3 or a liuely hope that is a hope proceeding from faith our life and receiuing liuelihood from thence to issue out into the acts of life Neither need it seeme strange vnto vs that faith in Christ should be our life if we doe consider these three grounds First That by faith alone wee haue interest in our Sauiour Christ who is the onely way truth and life Iohn 14.6 For God hath set him forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 and wee are righteous before God by the faith of Iesus Christ If therefore we call that our liuing which is the instrumentall cause of our naturall liuing good much more faith which is the instrument of our spirituall good Secondly By faith alone we haue right to those meanes of saluation wherein we haue communion and fellowship with Christ in this world As first for the Word it will not profit if it be not mixed with faith in them that heare it Hebr. 4.2 that so they may take it home and apply it as a good plaister to their infected soules As to the Sacraments they doe not seale a blanke Rom. 4.11 but are signes and seales of the righteousnesse of faith and when we come vnto them wee draw neere vnto God which must be done with a true heart in assurance of faith Hebr. 10.22 yea we must be at peace with God for God doth not vse to bestow such sauoury blessings vpon his enemies but no peace without iustification by faith Rom. 5.5 As to prayer Iam. 1.6 we must aske in faith nothing wauering We therefore hauing right vnto these things only by faith it is not vnworthily said to be our life Thirdly faith giueth vnto vs a right title yea a coÌ„fortable vse of all the things of this life In faith that is hauing my person in Christ and my warrant allowance from God in his word I eat my meat put on my clothes till my ground take profit of my cattle whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin that is whatsoeuer is done with a trembling Rom. 14.23 wandring gaine-saying conscience Dubitante Errante Repugnante consâ—ientâ—a when we haue not both warrant in our hearts that our persons are reconciled vnto God in Iesus Christ that our actioÌ„ is agreeable or not repugnant vnto Gods wil is sinful Seeing therfore that our faith only giueth vs a comfortable right both to the principall and instrumentall causes of our spirituall naturall liuing good we may rightly conclude that the iust man doth liue by his faith Hab. FroÌ„ which doctrine we may learne two profitable lessons Vse 1 first concerning our selues and secondly concerning others Concerning our selues we learne that as the life of a man doth take possession of the whole man and quicken all the parts of him and by degrees driueth out all the death which there it findeth so faith possesseth quickneth driueth out death from the whole soule As when water is set ouer the fire that heat which doth come vnto it doth by degrees possesse warme driue out the cold of it or as when the sap doth in the spring arise out of the root of the tree into the bodie and branches it doth take away all the vnfruitfulnes of it by degrees doth make it bring forth bud leafe and fruit so faith dealeth with our soules For as the life of man is a power diffused through the whole man so faith being the life of the soule is a power diffused thorow the whole soule So that faith must be both in the minde and in the heart It must shew it selfe in the minde in three things First in the knowledge for there is something euen in the very inlightning of the vnderstanding which is of the nature of faith Therefore the Prophet saith Es 53.11 that the knowledge of thy righteous seruant that is CHRIST shall iustifie many which yet cannot be wrought without faith Secondly in the iudgement when we being inwardly conuinced doe clearely resolue that Christ is the way to bee happy and therefore the onely good tidings which our hearts can rest vpon This made the Apostle say Phil. 3.8 9. Doubtlesse I thinke that is this is my resolute iudgement that all things are losse and dung in respect of Christ Thirdly in our memories when the greatest care in vs is among other things to lay vp the words of our blessed Sauiour Luk. Psal 119. and to hide his promises in our hearts Againe faith must shew it selfe in the heart when the heart beleeueth Rom. 10.9 Act. 8.39 yea when wee beleeue with all our hearts and this it doth in three things also First in the appetite and desires when a man is so farre exercised in the spirituall seeking of Christ that he desires rather to part with all the world if he had it than not to haue some comfortable assurance of Gods loue in Iesus Christ And whosoeuer shall thus sell all to buy the pearle hath true faith for God heareth the desires of the poore Psal 10.17 yet he heareth not to our comfort our prayers except they be faithfull Matth. 5.6 And they are blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse yet none are blessed with Abraham but they who are of the faith of Abraham Secondly in the affections when the soule is confident and resteth vpon the promises of God in Christ as the onely ground of happinesse For when there are no arguments drawne from a mans sense and feeling which may perswade him of Gods loue in Christ yet he doth confidently relie vpon it then is he said to liue by faith not by sight as Ioh who professed that though God killed him yet would he trust in him Iob. Thus also doth faith quicken other affections as ioy feare loue and the like directing
make shew of performing a Vow at Hebron Herod of worshipping Christ and of another Herod hearing Iohn gladly Prou. â— yea the Harlot her selfe hath made her peace offerings and payed her vowes and Christ doth so discouer the rich Gluttons wickednes that we may yet see the religion of his linage saying They haue Moses and the Prophets Lâ—ke 16. What wicked man doth not frame a religion to himselfe in appearance and shew to stop the mouth of his conscience and gloze with the world None shall bow lower than he none shall looke more sowre in the day of fasting and in all the kindes of superstition none shall more glister with deuotion in the view of men especially in the day of affliction and houre of death Thirdly in shew euen false religion may imitate the true Let God haue a Temple so hath the Deuill yea where God hath his Church the Deuill hath his Chapell and Synagogue Apoc. 2.12 as his Throne in Pergamus and Antichrist with his apostacie in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 If God answer from betweene the Cherubims the Deuill will haue his oracles Let him haue his Priests the Deuil also will haue Arch-flamines and Flamines his Druids Sophists Sacrificers and the like The Deuill and his instruments haue still beene seene to be Gods apes to imitate him so farre as it hath been permitted vnto them in the great workes of his creation and prouidence Fourthly in shew false religion may not only imitate but outstrip the true If true religion haue golden Priests and woodden Chalices false religion will haue with woodden Priests golden Chalices Let true religion haue a sacrifice of beasts the false will haue a sacrifice of men If the true haue washings the false will haue abundance of washings and other ceremonies which shall goe vnder the name of the traditions of the Elders In which respect they who reade the exceptions of Atheists and Heathen against the true religion shall â—â—nde this to be one that it was farre behinde the heathenish religion in the beauty of their Temples array of their Priests gestures and significant representations in their deuotions Thus let vs carry with vs these foure meditations and conclude from them thus much that seeing the religion of hypocrites and wicked men may equall and false religion may imitate and outstrip the true religion in shewes therefore we must iudge righteous iudgement wee must not chuse religion according to appearance and shewes but striue to be of that which doth most approue it selfe to God What vse shall we make of this point now but this to learne to cleaue to that religion which we shall finde to be more in heart than in shew I know that we must not neglect such shewes as God hath appointed as praying preaching hearing reading bowing the knees lifting vp the hands and eyes together with a decent course and cariage in Gods whole seruice Of these we say as Christ to the Pharisies These ought yee to haue done Matth. 23.23 yet the sincere seruice and glory of the heart ought not to be left vndone the principall end of a good religion being to approue the heart vnto God Gods seruice doth chiefly consist in the holy exercise and vsage of the vnderstanding and affections of the heart according to Gods will What hypocrite cannot draw neere to God with the lips What carnall wretch cannot make a crucifix or other image to be a mouer of fleshly deuotion Objectum motivam vehiculum devotionis and as it were a popish chariot of desires to the persons whom they doe represent What Idiot whose vnderstanding is idle cannot giue God a knee and a knocke vpon the breast at the Popish Latine seruice and Masse of humane inuentions Alas for them whose religion is in shewes If the shew and outside of religion were ordained by God yâ—â— as it might sometimes be omitted without sinne as Circumcision and the Passeouer yea and the feast of Tabernacles for a thousand yeeres together Neh. 8.17 if my Chronologer deceiue me not euen so also may it be practised of vs without grace Oh therefore beleeue not neither trust in shewes but cleaue vnto that religion whose grace and glory doth stand in inward worship which cannot be omitted without sinne nor practised without grace We draw neere to God with our hearts we heare the word with faith feare loue and full assurance we pray in the Holy Ghost yea though wee vse the helpe of others yet we make such prayers our owne by a thorow applying them to our wants and graces when we sing Psalmes we make melodie to God in our hearts and when we doe receiue the Lords Supper we doe it in remembrance of Christ and shew forth his death till he come yea like true worshippers we are so farre from delighting in shewes that as God said of old They shall say no more The Arke of the couenant of the Lord Ier. 3.16 for it shall come no more to minde neither shall they remember it neither shall they visit it so doe we willingly forget all the typicall rites and ceremonies wherewith the Church of Rome did Iewishly and heathenishly abuse our forefathers and doe striue to build vp the hid man of the heart and to worship God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. not neglecting such outward expressments as are warranted either by generall or particular rules and examples out of the holy word But as for garish shewes let children and babies delight in such rattles We account our selues to haue iust cause to suspect the religion of Rome which is all for shewes They know right well that euery man would be accounted godly and that the wickedest wretch and wisest politician of the world would faine goe to heauen To this end therefore as it may seeme namely to please the wise men of the world and desperate sinners who know by nature that they must frame a kinde of religion to procure Gods fauour they haue patched together as the secure times of the world and their preuailing faction would giue them leaue an outward seruice glorious in shew to stop the mouth of conscience for a time Their faith is resolued into a glorious and pompous Church for shew Their repentance stands only in contrition confession and satisfaction by visible penances which being performed in shew receiueth an absolute forgiuenesse of sinne They boast of their altars sacrifices washings and anointings they adorne their altars images priests and temples They haue their Iubilees processions pilgrimages to their ridiculous Ladies vigils trentals diriges and requiems and all for shew still They haue musicke and chaunting for the eare without the exercise either of vnderstanding or heart They haue golden and veluet silken and taffatie Images for the eye They haue Incense or other sweet perfumes for the nose They haue iuncates and banquets on their falsly called fasting daies for their pallates though they will not ordinarily eat
flesh on Fridaies And that the wise men of the world may be led vp and downe as men without wit by the nose they haue a glorious Latine seruice in an vnknowne tongue though it be impossible for him that hath the roome of the vnlearned to such a seruice to say Amen 1 Cor. 14.14 15 16 17. Here is a gay religion indeed O let vs haue our eyes in our heads and which of our religions doth most approue it selfe vnto God let euery one of vs with care and conscience iudge This must the rather be obserued and taken care of because to an heart and eye that is not sanctified and guided by God these shewes are fit allurements How doe they preuaile vpon the rotten and putrid members of the Church from time to time As Labans sheepe did conceiue by the eye so is it with many Christians also Hence is it that ye shall heare some plead the Iesuites causes thus Doe not those reuerend men leaue country and kindred and hazard their liues for religion and expose themselues to a thousand dangers Here is a great shew indeed yet there is many a theefe who can plead so much for himselfe before the Iudge My Lord haue not I broke my sleepe to be vpon the high way left the embracings of my louing wife and hazarded my life and estate and yet I hope the Iudge liketh not his cause the better nor thinketh him the more honest man Some againe plead the Popish cause thus Doe not they shew you thousands of religious persons who doe renounce the world and giue themselues wholly to prayer and contemplation They haue a shew of such indeed but all is not gold that glistereth Wee can shew them thousands of true Christian Nazarites who are Recluses from the world in Vniuersities and Colledges where they doe wholly giue themselues to prayer studie and conference with other good exercises that they may be further fitted for the seruice of the Church of God But as for their religious persons as when they are shut vp their light doth not shine before men to the glory of God their Father as it should so they are blasphemers of the Gospell in seeking perfections out of Christ and are cloakes of a foule deale of hypocrisie Humiles sine despâ—ctâ— paâ—pâ—â—â—s sine defectu â—â—vites sine labore while they are humble without deiection poore without want rich without labour or that I may vse the words of the Duke of Saxonie of old as Melancthon hath them There are three things saith he in the Citie of Lypsia which are worthy of admiration and they are three kinds of Monks The first who had much corne and no possessions The second who had much money and no reuenues The third who had many children and no wiues Loe these are they who doe renounce the world and giue themselues to prayer as they are discouered by those who haue liued amongst them Others againe plead for them thus Doe not they canonize Saints and giue good works and workers due honours These things indeed haue a great shew amongst them If we had beene but at Madrid this last yeere Merc. Gallob in anno 1622. lib. 2. tom 14. and seene the canonization of Ignatius Loyola the ancient founder of the Iesuites order in the solemnizing whereof all the Churches glittered with gold and precious hangings the statue of their dead Saint was bedecked with gold and precious stones by no meane hands it was carried in a glorious procession with a wonderfull troope and traine of many degrees with musicke for the eares and for the eyes with thirtie banners and fourescore siluer crosses If I say that we had seene this shew of honour of works and workers how could wee haue done lesse in reason than to haue said with that French Dame when shee saw a stately procession to passe by the streets O what a fine religion is ours meaning Poperie Quo vadis sect 4. pag. 15. yet in truth we doe not enuie them this finenesse Our Saints are in this world many times in ragged coats and when God hath taken them to heauen they need none of our pictures and solemnities neither doe we need such Aduocates We haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and care for no other particular Aduocates in heauen 1 Ioh. 2.1 And for our works though in the doctrine of Iustification wee hate to giue them any honour because our well-doing extends not to God Psal 16.2 Iob 22.3 and what is it to God that wee are righteous yet in the doctrine of sanctification wee doe humbly acknowledge the honour which God doth giue vnto them 1 Pet. 1.22 Prov. 16.6 in making of them meanes as contrary acts to mortifie and represse sinne in making them qualifications to sit vs for Gods residence Apoc. 3.20 and to be that sanctified way wherein wee must walke vnto glory Heb. 12.14 and the like yet wee must adde this that wee haue most comfort of those works which are least seene as of confidence loue feare humility mercy compassion c. which yet will manifest themselues in such fit fruits as God requireth Thus is our religion a walking in simplicitie and godly purenesse 2 Cor. 1.12 and not in fleshly wisdome and teacheth vs principally to approue our selues to God and to abandon that religion which stands in shewes and outward pompe I will say but three things more and so I shall passe to the next ground First a bulrush is greene and smooth he is curious to a miracle that can finde a knot in it yet within it hath but a vselesse and spongie pith in it in which respect God compareth hypocriticall fasters to such Es 58.5 Secondly the harlot goeth beyond the modest woman in garish attire yea shee will make such shewes as the honest woman shames Her adorning is not outward but in the hid man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Thirdly the Deuill finding that of all the senses the eye is the fittest for the working of his proiects he doth vse it much Euah saw that the tree was good for meat and shee tooke it and did eat Dauid saw Bathsheba and you know what followeth Ierushalem saw vermilion Images and she affected them God doth vsually call vs vnto him by the eare hee that desireth to lodge among the wise must prepare his Eare to hearken to the instruction of life Prou. 15.31 But the Deuill doth vsually call men by the eye it is the eye which is his ordinary broker and strikes the bargaine for him My conclusion is this that seeing faire shewes in Religion may be without sinceritie and that those may make greater shewes than ordinarie who are furthest from God and that yet the Deuill doth seeke to abuse vs and draw vs to his part by shewes wee must not choose our religion by shewes but cleaue vnto our owne which we shall finde most to approue it selfe to