abate your sinnes that God may abate your punishment Nay cast away all your workes of darkenesse that yee may never come into the place of darkenesse the Divels dungeon where the worme dyeth not where the fire goeth not out but continuall weeping and gnashing of teeth howling yelling and crying without ease of paine or comfort of mind that is such endlesse misery as the griefe thereof can neither be conceived of us nor expressed of them that feele it THE FIVE AND TVVENTIETH SERMON VERS XIV XV. And Enoch the seventh also from Adam prophesied of such saying Behold the Lord commeth c. Antiquity with Verity bring Authority to Doctrine HEre hee describeth the judgement of God at large which is ready to hasten nay to full upon these Epicures and Hypocrites and all proud swelling men yea and upon all ungodly persons whatsoever For as the power of the Lord had her day in the creation of the World and the mercy of God her day in redemption of man the little World so the justice of God must have her day in the just punishment of the unjust and wicked of the world This text of judgement devides it selfe into foure branches 1 That there shall bee a judgement 2 That the Lord shall be the Iudge 3 The manner of the judgement 4 The end of it To condemne all the ungodly of their evill deedes and cruell speakings against God But first he citeth his Author and saith that Enoch the seventh prophesied of such men that is of such Epicures of such proud swelling persons of such hypocrites Enoch is named the seventh Though some Scripture bee lost yet it is supplied in others and is perfect from Adam for Adam Seth Enos Kenan Mahalaleel Iared lived before him and dyed onely he was taken up alive into Heaven as was Elias in a firie chariot Tanquam candidati resurrectionis as the forerunners of the resurrection So that note here the antiquitie of the Prophesie of Enoch which Iude citeth to purchase authority unto the doctrine antiquity joyned with verity is of great force Quod primum illud verum quod posterius illud falsum whatsoever is first that is true what is later that is false Ieremy sendeth men to the old wayes Stand in the way saith he and behold aske for the old way and walke Ier. 6. 16. therein ye shall finde rest unto your soules Christ debating a question sendeth them to Antiquity saying Ab initio non fuit sic from Mat. 19. 8. the beginning it was not so Ab initio non Papae non Cardinales c. from the beginning no Popes no Cardinals no Patriarches c. therefore shall they not continue for ever sed eradicabuntur but shall be rooted out So reasoned the Wise man for idols saying Wisd 14. 12. cap. The inventing of Idols was the beginning of whoredom and the finding of them is the corruption of life for they were not from the beginning neither shall they continue for ever Sed vetusta consuetudo sine veritate vetustus Cypr. error an old custome without truth is but an old error The Papists to warrant their traditions and unwritten verities mightily urge the Prophesie of Enoch but this prophesie is not counterfeit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscriptum quiddam but wee must know that much Scripture is lost which we have not which might bee when Antiochus and Maximine caused the bookes of the Law to bee burnt We lacke many of Salomons workes who wrote of all things from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hysop on the 1 Reg 4. wall In that God hath not given us the bookes of Nathan of 1 Chro. 29. 2 Chro. 9. Gad of Iado of Shemaia of Athia the Shilonite of Iohn the sonne of Hanani c. It is not for that the Scriptures are unperfect and to bee supplied with unwritten verities but for some other causes best knowne to God They say the Scriptures are unperfect and therefore have added their unwritten traditions which they call Apostolicall unto the Scriptures to make the totall rule of Faith the Scriptures making but one part thereof and their traditions another as it appeareth by the late Trident Councell and of Bellarmines exposition thereof The Councell saith Omnes libros veteris novi Testamenti necnon traditiones ipsas Sess 4. decret 1. tum ad fidem tum ad mores pertinentes tanquam vel ore tenus a Christo vel à Spiritu Sancto dictatas continua successione in Ecclesia Catholica conservatas pari pietatis affectu reverentia suscipit ac veneratur Tridentina Synodus that is All the bookes of the old and new Testament as also the traditions themselves pertaining both to Faith and manners as being either pronounced by the mouth of Christ or delivered by the holy Ghost and by continuall succession preserved in the Catholike Church the Councell of Trent receiueth and honoreth with like and equall affection of pietie The Papists hold the Scriptures insufficient without traditions and reverence And Cardinall Bellarmine writeth thus Asserimus in Scripturis non contineri expressè totam doctrinam necessariam sive de fide sive de moribus proinde praeter Verbum Dei scriptum requiri etiam Verbum Dei non scriptum idest divinas Apostolicas traditiones that is Libro de verbo Dei non Script cap. 3. We affirme that in the Scripture is not contained expressely all necessary doctrine whether of faith or manners and therefore beside the written Word of God is required also the unwritten word of God namely divine and Apostolicall traditions And againe he saith Scripturae sine traditionibus nec fuer unt simpliciter necessariae necsufficientes The Scriptures without traditions were Ibid. cap. 4. neither simply necessary nor yet sufficient And againe Dico Scripturam etsi non sit facta praecipuè ut sit regula fidei esse tamen regulam Ibid. cap. 12. fidei non totalem sed partialem totalis enim regula fidei est Verbum Dei sive revelatio Dei Ecclesiaefacta quae dividitur in duas regulas partiales scripturam traditiones I say that the Scripture though it were not made especially to be the rule of faith yet it is the rule of faith not in whole but in part For the whole rule of faith is the Word of God or the revelatiō of God made unto the Church which is devided into two partie-rules Scripture and traditions Besides they further alledge that the Church was 2249. yeeres before the Word written but how shall that appeare that the Church then had not the written Word Why Moses citeth a booke called The warres of the Lord and in Iosua the booke of the iust is cited and it may bee that Noah Abraham Numb ◠Ios 10. and Isaac wrote those things that did belong to those times Iude also in this Epistle eiteth the booke of Enoch Papists alledge that
to bee seeing it hath the holy Ghost for the Author 2 The penman or writer was Iude or Iudas and of this name our Saviour had two disciples The one called Iudas Iscariot Who for thirty peeces of silver betraied basely sold his Lord and Master Servus Dominum discipulus magistrum homo Deum creatura Mat. 26. creatorem vendidit The servant betraid sold most basely sold his Lord. The disciple his Master man God the creature the Creator Infoelix mercator Iudas O unhappy Merchant Iudas The other called Iudas the son of Alphaeas called also Thaddeus Labbeus who was brother to Iames cosin to the Lord Iesus in the flesh The occasion of which name with the reason therof is set down in the 29. of Gen. the 35 V. For when Leah had borne Iudg. 15. Act. 18. 28. cap. 6. 10. three sons to Iacob she conceived and bare a fourth Sonne saying Now will I praise and confesse the Lord and shee called his name Iudah This Iude was as rare and notable an Apostle to beat downe the Heretickes of that time as Sampson did the Philistines as Apollo did the Iewes as Stephen did the Libertines Cirenians as Paphuntius did the Councell of Nice in Ministers marriage Concerning the Argument of this Epistle it is a stirring The Argument and occasion or this Epistle them up to a Christian life to shew foorth the fruits of faith to ioyne with Words Workes with communication conversation with hearing keeping with profession practice For after planting must come growing after light walking Col. 1. Ephes 5. 9. 2 Pet. 1. Esa 2. 3. Iam. 1. 22. after faith workes after teaching obedience after a good profession some good practice Beside here in this Epistle hee inveigheth sharpely against carnall profession and grosse abusing of Christian Religion And also he admonisheth them to beware of imposters seducers false teachers cunning deceivers which were craftily crept in amongst them drawing men from purity in Religion to impurity of the flesh Whom the Apostle lively painteth out in their severall colours and against whom hee denounceth many Iudgements of God The occasion of writing this Epistle was this It is affirmed by the most learned of all times and agreed upon by the best writers that this Apostle Iude outlived many yea most of the Apostles continuing and preaching in Mesopotomia Pontus Persis and other parts of the world till the Reigne of Domitian the Emperour in whose reigne Iniquity reigned Impiety abounded corruption of manners and dissolution in life raged in every place for many there were that were Wantons in manners and heretikes in opinion against whom hee did lift up his voyce like a trumpet So that this Epistle is notable and written for our learning howsoever some deny this Epistle to bee Cannonicall as Cardinall Cajetane who Esa 58. 1. Rom. 15. 4. calleth it Aprocriphall Which I note the rather to meete with Campian and Reighnolds who say that wee Protestants reject the Scriptures that wee leave no ground for a Christian to rest his Faith on because Luther doubted of Iames his Epistle and wee of the Apocripha But did not Dionisius Alexandrinus say that most of his predecessors reiected the Apocalips Did not the Councell of Laodicia leave it out of the Canon Did not Eumilâ—us Africanus deny the bookes of Esra Iob Paralipomenon Did not Ierome call the history of Davids Marriage a Poeticall fiction an unseemely iest Did not Cardinall Caietane a Piller of the Church a Peere of the Court of Rome accuse the Epistle to the Hebrewes to containe too weake grounds to prove Christs divinitie and yet left they ground for our faith to rest on So that there was no cause for Campian and Reighnolds to pearch on their rowses to clap their wings to crow so lowd to whet their dogges eloquence against us Some Scriptures have beene doubted of of some Churches as the second Epistle of Saint Peter the second and third of Saint John and some have beene reiected of all Churches As the Epistle of Barnabas The Acts of Peter The booke of the Pastor The Gospel of Nicodemus and Thaddaeus c. God hath kept the Scriptures Of the parts the Epistle The person writing it God hath kept the Scriptures in all ages so much as is necessary for our salvation At the giving of the Law it was reserved in tables of stone After the giving of the Law the writings of the Prophets were nailed to the doore of the Temple and reserved in the Lords treasury Before the captivity the Septuagint turned them into Greeke and Ptolomaeus Exod. 34. Heb. 2. the King kept them After the captivitie Ezra gathered all into one volume in the dayes of Artaxerxes and the Church have kept them as Aarons Rod and the pot of Manna and as the two Tables were kept in the Arke c. In the primative Church the Gospell of Mathew was kept in Iewry the Gospell of Marke at Alexandria that of Luke at Antioch that of Iohn and the Apocalips at Ephesus Nam triplex est munus Ecclesiae the Churches office is threefold Sacros libros servare instar testis eos promulgare instar proeconis eos ab aliis discernere to keepe these sacred bookes as a witnesse to promulgate them as a Preacher and to discerne them from other bookes whatsoever And thus the Church hath kept this Epistle of Iude unto this day Fremat licet Câ—jetanus All Tyrants have raged against the Scripture Antiochus for his hatred of the Scriptures is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he beheaded them that had the Bible Dioclesian commanded the bookes of the Scripture to be burnt yet by the wonderfull providence of God they are preserved And thus much being spoken concerning the Author the Penman the Occasion and Argument of this Epistle I will now come unto the Epistle it selfe the which may be divided into five parts First The title or superscription Secondly The Exordium Thirdly A proposition Fourthly Exhortations and dehortations Fiftly The conclusion or the shutting up of the Epistle with a prayer to God But first to begin with the title or superscription and therein observe with me three things First The person writing Secondly The persons written unto Thirdly The Salutation Now the person writing is described three wayes First by his name Iude. Secondly By his calling a servant of Christ Thirdly By his kindred The brother of Iames. But first the person writing is described by his name and that was Iude or Iudas not Iudas Iscariot the traytor but Iudas the brother of Iames and Cousin to the Lord Iesus Christ in the flesh yet both were the Apostles of Christ but this man good and godly that wicked and ungodly For it is nor the name or The Writer by his name and calling described office that makes a good man but the Grace and Mercie of God If outward titles could make good men Iudas Iscariot had beene as good as
est causa discordiae mori possum tacere non possum If Truth bee the cause of our discord I may dye but I may not be silent Wee cannot but speake the things Act. 4. 20. wee have seene and heard But to come to the description of these Adversaries they are here described two wayes By their Life End By their Life they are described foure wayes First they creepe into the Church Secondly they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men without God Thirdly they bee Libertines Fourthly they are Blasphemers Denying God and Christ By their End also they be described they are ordained to Iudgement written in the blacke Booke not of Life but of Death But first they are described by their Life and they are said first to creepe into the Church The Greeke word signifieth a craftie entrance into the Church they come not in by the Doore Iohn 10. into the Sheepefold but clime up some other way they come not in the Day but in the night like theeves they are Woolves in Sheepes clothing Caterpillers to devoure the vineyard of Christ Mat. 24. they thrust in themselves like Iudas amongst the Apostles therfore the more to bee resisted for no enemy is so dangerous as a secret enemy It was not an open enemy quoth David that did defame mee for I could have borne it neither did my Adversary exalt Psal 55. 12 13. himselfe against me for I would have hidden mee from him but it was thou ô man even mine own companion and guide and my familiar They pray with us in one Church and dip their hand with us in one dish these creepers are the most dangerous hell-hounds above all others they have Butter in their mouths but Swords in their hearts A Dogge that barketh may bee prevented before hee bite and the serpent that hisseth before hee sting and the fire Satan assaults sometime by cruelty sometime by subtilty that smoketh before it burne so may a knowne enemy but a secret enemie a creeper is hard to prevent Satan prevaileth many wayes sometime as a Lion sometime as a Serpent sometime by force as a Lion as in Nero Domitian Trajane Vulerian sometime by fraud as a Serpent as in Herod in the Pharisees in Iulian the Apostata who corrupted by the faith more by lenitie and rewards than all the bloody persecutors did by the sword wherupon one distinguisheth of Divels and saith that some are blacke and some are white to teach that he hurteth not one way but many wayes he sheweth himselfe a blacke Divell when He goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking to devoure a white Divell 1 Pet. 5. 8. Luk. 4. 41. Act. 16. 17. when hee cried Thou art Christ the Sonne of God and againe hee shewed himselfe a white Divell when as he cried These men are the servants of the living God which shew untous in the way of salvatio meaning Paul and Silas But whether Divells be white or blacke yet they be Divells still yea and so much the more vile that they be Mat. 26. Mat. 7. 2 Cor. 11. 14. white For there is no kisse to the kisse of Iudas no woolfe to him that is clad in a Lambes skinne no teare to the teare of a Crocodile so no Divell to him that appeareth in the shape of an Angell Satan hath sore wounded the Church every by open tragicall persecutions as in the dayes of Christ Even among the cheefe John 12. 42. rulers many beleeved in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be excommunicate And in the ten persecutions Satan raged against the Church horribly but never so much as by inward enemies in the bosome of the Church For when the Officers that were sent to apprehend Christ told the Pharisies saying Never man spake as this man The Pharisees answered Are yee also deceived Doth any of the rulers or the Pharisees Iohn 7. 48. beleeve in him Christ had no greater enemies than the Church the Synagogue For who resisted him not Atheists but the Church the Scribes and Pharisees the expounders of the Law the friends of the Gospell Paul had more adoe with false Apostles than with the uncircumcised the infidells the Pagans Some would destroy the purity of majesty the Gospell by their eloquence some would bring in Iudaisme The subtle Gibeonites troubled Iosua more than the open Canaanites The Manichees did more hurt the Church than all heretikes and that under the colour of not marrying not eating of flesh not drinking of wine None will weep faster than a Crocodyle none will make a greater face of godlinesse than these hedge-creepers Ismael will Ier. 41. weep to Gedaliah Herod will bid the wise men seeke diligently for Christ and when they have found him to bring him word Mat. 2. that he may come and worship him The Herodians will salute Christ Mat. 22. with many goodly titles saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God truly for thou carest for no man thou considerest not the outward appearance of men c. Dalila will pretend all love to Sampson O I love thee Sampson The adversaries of Iuda Popery prevailes more by fraud than by force and Benjamin will say to Zorobabel and to the rest Wee will build with you wee will sacrifice with you but Ismael killed Godaliah Herod would have butchered Christ the Herodians tempted him Dalila betraied Sampson and the adversaries of Iuda would have pulled downe the Church and not built it up Such trees without Iudg. 15. Esder 4. fruit such eares without corne such nets without fish such lampes without oyle such clouds without raine shall perish As they have lived without feare so shall they did without hope as they have a body without an heart so have they a soule without God They in felle nequitiae even in the gall of bitternesse in the bond of iniquity and therefore they have neither part nor fellowship in Gods Kingdome To apply this to the present state of the Church Satan hath prevailed more in Popery by fraud than by force by creeping than by breaking in with a skaling ladder The first Romane Monarchie stood of unjustice maintained by armes and this latter of impietie maintained by fraud and hypocrisie Whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying 2 Thess ◠9 10. wonders and in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse The Popes Kingdome is not described by force and armes but by sleights and wiles by the names of women enchantments cups Apoc. 17. 19. fornications The beast representing the Romane Empire had the hornes of a Lambe and the mouth of a dragon In all the Kingdome of Popery in Pope Cardinals Bishops Monks Friers Nunnes what was there but hypocrisie How deceived they the world with their Prayers Almes Fastings Crossings Greasings Purgatory Auricular confessions Trentas Dirges Masses Prayer for the dead going
and with his foot pusht it off againe Hildebrand caused Henry the 4. to stand three dayes at his gates bare-footed and bare-legged before hee would open his gates unto him Thus have they tossed government up and downe and have put them out of their places Chrysostome and Tertullian call them the chiefe men of the earth and next to God and Saint Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most excellent Our latter Papists 1 Pet. 2. 13. call civill Magistrates carnall Lords humane creatures and is not this to take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soveraigne and supreme authority from them that ought to have it which Iesus Christ denyed to his Ministers and servants saying The Kings of the Gentiles Luke 22. 25. beare rule over them and they that beare rule over them are called gratious Lords but you shall not so Let us therefore Brethren be subject to the higher power and never despise government Let us subject our selves to every ordinance of Ro◠13. 1. man for the Lords sake For by them we reape much good for governours are appointed of God For the punishment of evill doers but 1 Tim. 2. for the laud of them that doe well under them we lead a quiet and a godly life and where as there is no government there is no order and whereas there is no order Ibi ruinae ostium patet the doore is open to ruine and destruction Hereupon saith a Father Malum quidem est ubi est nullus principatus c. It is a passing evill whereas there is no government for take from the Quier the Chanter and the Song will neither be in good tune nor in good order take from the Souldiers the Captaine and the same cannot march on either in due number or decent manner take from the Ship the Pilote and it must needs miscarry take from the flocke the Shepheard and they must needs be scattered and so take from the people Governours and they must come to destruction ye see therefore the good of Government And to disobey oras Iude speaketh To despise Government it is dangerous Paul saith They that resist shall receive to themselves Rom. 13. damnation And he reckoneth up disobedient persons among those that shall not come into the Kingdome of God I will conclude Gal. 5. with the admonition of Salomon My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not on any pretence with them that are seditious Prov. 24. 21. and despise not government If Governours be impious pray for their piety if tyrannous pray to God to inspire them with clemency Pray for Kings saith Paul yea though they were such as Gentiliter vixerunt lived Heathenishly saith Optatus Milenitanus THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON VERS IX Yet Michael the Archangel when hee strove against the Divell and disputed about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee Raylers confuted by Michael the archangels example THese words containe the confutation of those heady and unruly spirits that despise government and hee confuteth them two waies first Michaell the Archangell would not raile in a dispute betweene him and Satan how dare then these pesants base and vile men take upon them to speake evill for there is no comparison betweene men and Angels for God hath made men lower than the Angels indeed in the last day our Psal 8. 5. Mat. 22. honour shall be like unto them but not till then Secondly Michael and the Angels durst not rayle on the Divell that cursed creature how dare then these chips and draine of the people and skum of the world raile on Rulers and dignities ordained of God Or the reason may thus be contracted An Archangell would not give judgement these men judge and censure all estates an Archangell dispute these condemne hearing no cause an Archangell durst not raile these dare speake all evill for Pride is a chaine unto them and cruelty covereth them as a garment They are Ps 73. 6. 8 9. licentious and speake wickedly they talke presumptuously They set No Scripture lost that is necessary for salvation their mouth against Heaven and their tongue walketh thorow the earth This History Totidem syllabis is not recorded in the Bible and yet we must not thinke that Iude fained it but rather that there is much Scripture lost which we have not seeing that Antiochus in the Law and Dioclesian in the Primitive Church burned the Scriptures and all Libraries we want the Booke of the battels of the Lord mentioned by Moses the Booke of the righteous Numb 21. 14. cited by Iosua and we want much of the Chronicles of Israel Ios 10. 13. 2 Reg. 16. and Iuda we have not the Bookes of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer the Booke of Nathan the Prophet and the Booke 2 Chron. 12. 15. of the Prophecie of Ahiah wee want many of Salomons Bookes who wrote of beasts stones herbes trees from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hysope on the wall as you may read 1 Reg. 4. Origen 1 Reg. 4. Origine lib. ◠de principiis saith that this Text was taken from a Booke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ascention of Moses so say Clemens Alexandrinus Didimus and Athanasius For so say they Paul alledged Epimenides Aratus and Menander why might he not then quote this saying Others saw that it was delivered by tradition from hand to hand Tit. 1. 12. Act. 17. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 8. So Iannes and Iambres are named and that speech uttered by the Apostle Remember the words of the Lord Iesus how that he said It is a blessed thing to give rather than to receive It is not orderly so written in any place of Scripture yet it is gathered by divers places Acts. 20. 35. in effect Papists here cry out that Iude alledged some prophane Author or some tradition ergo non solum haerendum est Scripturis therefore we must not onely cleave unto the Scriptures I confesse Paul cited some things from prophane Writers but it was not to confirme any dogmaticall conclusion concerning faith and beleefe for as touching these things they cited only the Scriptures but when they came to intreat of manners then they borrowed some things of the Ethnicke and Heathen and that to this end to shame Christians But Christ said Scriptum est it is written non traditum est not is it a tradition Thus Sadnele answered Turrianus and so I in this cause answer Stapleton Staphilus and the Iesuites Michael is here named who is also named by Daniel and by Dan. 12. 2. Apoc. 12. 7. Saint Iohn this Michael is here called an Archangell but I will first speake concisely of Angels then of Archangels In the Scripture five good Angels are onely named The first is Michael as here in this my Text and also by the Prophet Daniel the Dan. 10. 13. Dan. 8. 16. Luk. 1. Esdr
noble Courtier and had a courtly stile Ministers may use all helpes of humane learning but Amos had but an homely stile for he was but an heard-man Paul used a plaine kinde of teaching and as he himselfe confessed he was Rude in speaking Apollos was eloquent Qui dedit Petrum piscatorem dedit Cyprianum Rhetorem he that made Peter a Fisher-man made Cyprian a Rhetorician yet plaine teaching if it edifie is not to be rejected Quid prodest clavis aurea si non aperiat ostium quid obest ferrea si modo aperiat What good doth a golden key if it open not the doore and what hurt doth a key of iron if it open the same and so Quid prodest eloquentia non aedificans what doth eloquence profit if it edifie not and what doth simple and plaine teaching hinder if it edifie Let all things saith the Apostle be done to edifying 1 Cor. 14. 26. Againe in that Iude here teacheth us by spots clouds trees c. we have to observe the liberty of the Ministers of the Gospell not onely nakedly to deliver unto the people the whole Councell of God but also to use helpes of wit invention and art as similitudes allusions applications comparisons proverbs and parables to illustrate the Doctrine delivered Thus did Christ even by similitudes drawne from this and that thing instruct the people So hee taught the Astronomers of the East by a starre and Fishermen by a draught of fish The Woman of Samaria Mat. 2. 10. Luke 5. 6. Iohn 4. 14. that came to draw water at Iacobs Well hee taught her by that corruptible water the water of Life To Mary in the Garden he appeared as a Gardiner to his travelling Disciples he appeared as a traveller so also frequently in the Gospell he teacheth by many exemplary similitudes the rich man by the rich mans Luke 24. care and greedy gathering the Vine-dresser by the Vine-dressers digging and hedging and dressing the Labourer by the Labourers hire and working the Builder by the Builders laying a good foundation the Husband-man by the Husbandmans sowing the Fisher-man by the Fisher-mans casting nets and drawing as here Saint Iude by spots clouds trees waves starres c. And as Christ himselfe so all his Prophets and Apostles have used parables similitudes and other helpes whereby their Doctrine might have a deeper impression in the hearts of their hearers Thus did profound Austen in his questions learned Ierome in his expositions patheticall Chrysostome in his amplifications mellifluent Bernard in his meditations pithy Cyprian in his perswasions sweet Ambrose in his allusions eloquent Nazianzen in moving affections doe make great use of these similitudes and so may Ministers doe Lastly in that Iude teacheth us by spots clouds trees starres c. this teacheth us that of all the creatures of God there is a double use one naturall the other spirituall As a spot naturally defileth the garment of the body so besides this naturall signification it serves to put us in mind that sinne spiritually defileth the soule And as a tree in nature signifieth such plants Every creature afford some profitable meditation of the earth as bring forth fruit so besides this naturall signification it serves to put us in mind that wee ought to bee fruitfull Trees in the Lords Orchard lest that wee prove fuell for the fire for Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewne Mat. 3. downe and cast into the fire and as cloudes naturally powre downe raine so spiritually it teacheth us to raine downe righteousnesse and to water and refresh the thirstie as the cloudes doe the earth and as starres naturally yeeld light so spiritually should wee Our light must so shine before men that others may see our good workes and glorifie our Father in Heaven So by sowing of corne into the ground to maintaine mans life our Saviour leads us to consider of another thing that as the Sower Mat. 15. casteth his seed abroad into sundry sorts of ground and they according to their nature bring forth fruit accordingly Even so the Minister of the Word scatters and sowes the Seed of Gods Word into the ground of mens hearts and as they bee prepared so they bring forth fruit So by a Weavers shuttle wee see the shortnesse of mans life gone in a moment Doest thou see how Iob 7. the Wind drives the chaffe and dust of the Earth about giving it no rest till it bee dispersed Oh consider how the curse of Psal 1. God shall dogge the wicked and never let their soules bee at rest till it consume them Doest thou lye downe in thy bed every night O remember that ere it be long thou must lye down in thy grave and bee covered in dust and therefore prepare to dye in the Lord. Doest thou see the beautifull grasse and herbes of the earth cut downe and wither away O remember that All Esa 40. flesh is grasse and that it must fade and perish Doest thou put on thy clothes to cover thy nakednesse Labour to put on the Lord Iesus and the robes of his righteousnesse that thy filthy nakednesse Rom. 13. Apoc. 3. 18. doe not appeare Doest thou take a Booke into thy hand and open it leafe by leafe O consider that the time will come when the bookes of thy Conscience shall bee opened wherein all thy sinnes are recorded and thou must receive according Apoc. 20. to thy workes And thus wee see of all the creatures of God there is a double use to bee made of them the one naturall the other spirituall So much for the manner Now for the matter Their first sinne is their Epicurisme in eating drinking c. That which Salomon saith of Princes may bee verified of all private men Woe to thee O thou Land when thy Eccles 10. 16. King is a child and thy Princes eate in the morning Blessed art thou O land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles and thy Princes eate in time for strength and not for drunkennesse So blessed is that place that towne where sober-men are as was Selge in Pisidia voyd of drunkennesse This sinne never goeth alone it hath many other sinnes to wait and attend upon it it is as the nave of the wheele which turning about all the spoakes turne with it there goe with it idlenesse fighting quarrelling whoring stealing it is Drunkards incorrigible gluttons insatiable the anvile whereupon the other sinnes are wrought Hereupon saith Salomon To whom is woe to whom is sorrow to whom is strife to whom is murmuring to whom are wounds without cause and to whom is the rednesse of the eyes Even to him that tarrieth long at the wine Pro. 23. 29 30 31 32 33. to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Looke not thou on the wine when it is red and when it sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth downe pleasantly in the end thereof it will bite
with any conscience Tertullian telleth of a water in Paphlagonia called Salmacis of the which they that drinke either fall into a phrensie or into a lethargie so are wee not either mad or fallen into a dead sleepe to heare God so often and remember him so little Shame appertaineth unto us and confusion may cover us as a cloake O deafe eares dumbe Dan. 9. tongues dead hearts dull soules How long shall Wisedome crie How Prov. 1. 20 21 22. long shall shee utter her voyce in the streetes shee calleth in the highstreete among the prease in the entring of the gates and uttereth her words in the City saying O yee foolish how long will yee love foolishnesse and the scornefull take their pleasure inscorning and the fooles hate knowledge But let us leave this sinne and learne to remember more and keepe more else the more shall be our judgement But what must we remember we must remēber the words of the Apostles not of the Rabbines Fathers Doctors of the Church therefore it is noted of the three thousand that they continued in the Act. 2. 42. Apostles doctrine It is Basis Ecclesiae so saith Paul Yee are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being Ephes 2. 20. the chiefe corner stone Peter calleth it a most sure word We have 1 Pet. 1. 19. saith hee a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Esay sendeth all men to the Law To the Law to the testimonie saith the Prophet If they speake not according to this Word it is because Esa 8. 20. there is no light in them Ieremy calleth all mens traditions dreames chaffe How long doe the Prophets delight to prophesie lyes Ier. 23. 26 27 28 29. Even prophecying the deceit of their owne heart Thinke they to cause my people to forget my name by their dreames which they tell every man unto his neighbour as their fore-fathers have forgotten my Name for Baal The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream he that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully what is the Chaffe to the Wheat saith the Lord Is not my word even like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the stone These Saint Peter calleth deceivable fables Wee followed not quoth he deceivable fables when wee opened 2 Pet. 1. 16. unto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ What neede we to run to the channell when wee may drinke of the The Scripture the rule of faith the touch stone to trie Scripture fountaine or to feed of Acornes when we may have the pure Wheat Or to see with a Candle when we may have the Sun light All mens writings they are as puddles and cesternes that can hold no water they are Labruscae sowre grapes I looked saith the Lord that my vineyard should have brought forth good grapes Ier. 2. Esa 5. 3. and it brought forth wild and sowre grapes Now by these sowre grapes hee meaneth errors in doctrine as well as in life The Zuingsius Word of God must sit on the Bench when Fathers Councels Doctors Rabbines Poets Philosophers must stand at the barre Paul discussing the question of Iustification he saith not What saith reason What say the Rabbines The Thalmud The Caball What say the Bishops Doctors of Ierusalem But What saith the Scripture So Peter proveth all from the Scripture Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put a stone in Sion Rom. 4. 3. c. This is to build on the Rocke but a most miserable state it is when a man buildeth on the sand The house must needs fall when the Church goeth from the doctrine Apostolicall to Luk. 6. the doctrines of men then is the Sunne as sackecloth the Moon turned into bloud the starres have lost their light then the three Apoc. 6. uncleane Frogges be come out of the mouth of the Dragon when Popes Cardinals Schoolemen rule the Church Removeantur Chartae Apoc. 13. 16. Aug. Donato nostrae procedat in medium Codex Dei Let our writings be taken away let Gods Booke bee produced and brought in the place Let us take away our deceitfull ballance and let Gods ballance weigh and sway the truth of our cause Martin refused Scripture and fled to traditions and therefore Tertullian calleth him Apostaticall not Apostolicall He calleth the Marcionites Owles Lucifrigas scripturarum saith that Tertull. lib. 4. contra Marcionitas the Waspes make nests aswell as the Bees and that the Marcionites erect Churches aswell as Christians but in their nests is no hony and in the Churches of the Marcionites is no Truth no Scripture they teach for doctrine precepts of men they are like unto Ravens which conceive not with seed but with wind their Mat. 15. doctrine is the doctrine of the wind and the speech of the East-wind Wee are borne againe not of mortall but of immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. even by the Word of God which liveth and indureth for ever that is the true seed The Papists are like the Marcionites and the Valentinians qui prius persuadent quà m docent which first perswade and after teach but Christians doe first teach and after perswade and teach too out of the Scriptures as Apollo did He proved by the Scriptures Iesus to be Christ for he was a man eloquent and Act. 18. 24 28. 1 Thess 4. 15. mighty in the Scriptures Thus Paul taught This say we unto you by the Word of the Lord thus must wee say for every point of Doctrine Againe in that Iude bids them Remember the Words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ some gather from these words that this Epistle is not Canonicall not written by The Saints of God are meek and gentie Iude the Apostle But I answere that Iude naming other Apostles excludeth not himselfe but rather useth the authority of others then of himselfe So Iohn calleth himselfe Iohn at every word not an Apostle yet avoucheth his calling against Cerinthus Apoc. 1. 4 9. and Ebion saying that the Lord Iesus commanded him to write Apoc. 1. So Paul modestly and humbly having to do with God renounceth his titles and saith that he was not worthy to be called an Apostle hee saith that he was among them in much weakenesse that 1 Cor. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 3. he persecuted and wasted the Church of God that he preached in infirmity that he was mad in his Iudaisme but having to do with the false apostles and Pharises hee avoucheth his calling and rowzeth himselfe like a Lion I certify you brethren that Gal. 1. 13. Act. 26. 11. Gal. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 9. 1. 1 Cor. 13. 10. Gal. 2. 8 9 11. the Gospell which was preached of me
we shall never be better then when by prayer we creep as it were into our Heavenly Fathers bosome And thus wee see the profit power and pleasure of prayer the experience of this hath made good men to spend their dayes in prayer David rose at midnight to pray Daniel prayed three Psal 119. Dan. 6. Hist tripart times a day It is reported of Saint Iames that his knees were horne-hoofed with prayer and Nazianzene writeth of his sister Gorgonia that shee was so given to prayer that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth by reason of her continuall kneeling at prayer and Gregory in his dialogues writeth of his Aunt Trasilla being dead that shee was found to have her elbowes as hard as hornes which hardnesse she got by leaning to a deske at which shee used to pray and Saint Ierome writing of Paul the Hermite affirmeth that hee was found dead kneeling upon his knees holding up his hands and lifting up his eyes so that the very dead corps seemed yet to live and by a kind of religious gesture to pray still to God The Iewes beganne the day and ended it with Levit. 1. prayer It is said of Anthony the Hermite that having spent the whole night in prayer hee chid the Sunne at the rising of it saying O Sol mimis properè nobis redijsti O Sunne thou hast returned to us over-soone I am troubled with thy light the greatnesse of Divers kinds of prayer in respect of matter thy light hindreth mee from contemplation and the light of my God and of Bessarion that hee passed twelve dayes and nights in contemplation pavimentum erat lectus the pavement was his bed water his drinke barly his bread and rootes his dainties If we compare with these men we shall be found like the Pigmaei in respect of the great Giants Wee be not men of prayer wee rise in the morning as the wild Asse to his prey and we lie downe at night as dogges do in their kennell The Euchites pray too much wee too little or not at all the Papists prayed in the night but wee neither day nor night But of prayer in respect of the matter there bee divers kindes Petition Deprecation Intercession Expostulation Petition is for good things Deprecation to remove evill things Intercession for others Expostulation against others The Apostle Paul devideth prayer into Supplications Prayers Intercessions 1 Tim. 2. 2. Thankesgiving Supplications are for the removing of evill whether it bee malum culpae or Malum poenae the evill of sinne or the evill of punishment Prayers are for the obtayning of good for God will give good Mat. 7. 11. things to them that aske of him Intercessions are in the behalfe of others so Moses made intercession for the people saying Forgive them or els race mee out of Exod. 32. the booke of life which thou hast written So Christ made intercession for his crucifiers Father forgive them they know not what they doe Thankesgivings are for benefits received Mat. 27. And these foure the Apostle referreth in another place to two heads 1. Requests 2. Thankesgiving Phil. 4. 6. Vnder request hee comprehendeth supplication prayer and intercession But the most usuall distinction is grounded on 1 Thess 5. 17 18. which is Petition and Thankesgiving And in all these kindes of prayer a Christian must be conversant and use them as occasion serves and thus yee see the distinct kindes of prayer in respect of the matter There are other distinctions in regard of the manner the first Mentall and Vocall Mentall is an inward lifting up of the heart to God without any outward manifestation of the same by word such as Moses was when God said unto him Why cryest thou to me yet hee spake Prayer divers in respect of the manner never a word with his tongue onely he sighed and groned Vocall is that which is uttered with words as was the Publicans Exod 14. 15. Luk. 18. when hee cried God be mercifull unto me a sinner Secondly A prayer in regard of the manner of it is Sudden or Composed Sudden when as upon some occasion the heart is lifted up to God either by sighing or speaking such as was Nehemiahs prayer Nehe. 2. 4. and these are called the ejaculations of the heart which as one saith are to bee used as salt with meate with every bit of meate wee commonly take a little salt to season it so when wee doe any thing we must lift up our hearts to God and season our busines by prayer Composed prayer is the powring forth of some solemne prayer to God privately by our selves and such were the prayers that Daniel used to make three times a day Dan. 6. 10. Thirdly prayer is either Conceived or Prescribed Conceived prayer is that which hee who uttereth the prayer inventeth and conceiveth of himselfe and such are most of the prayers recorded in the Scripture Prescribed is when a set constant forme of prayer is layed downe before-hand a thing very frequent in the Scriptures in Numbers God prescribed a set forme of blessing for the Priests continually Numb 6. 23 24. to use and the 92. Psalme was prescribed A song for the Sabbath Mat. 6. day and Christ himselfe prescribed an excellent forme of prayer and S. Paul observes a set forme of blessing in the beginning and end of his Epistles Fourthly prayer is either Publike or Private Publike when a whole Congregation with one joint consent call upon God Private is that which is made by some few together as Elisha 2 Reg. 4. 33. and his servant were alone in a chamber praying for the Shunamites child or when a man prayeth by himselfe alone as did Cornelius and of this kinde of prayer Christ speaketh thus When thou Act. 10. 30. prayest enter into thy chamber and shut the dore and pray to thy Father in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly All these prayers must wee send up to God in the mediation of Christ Nam quid dulcius quà m Genitorem in nomine Vnigeniti invocare Aug. What is sweeter then to call upon the Father in the name of his onely begotten Sonne And they must bee powred out with feare and reverence Our hearts must bee raised from the dunghill of the earth to the glorious Throne of Heaven as the Prophet saith Let our hearts be lifted up Our gestures must be reverent and humble and kneeling is the fittest gesture in prayer Lament 3. 41. and they must bee delivered with fervency For the prayer of Iam. 5. the righteous avayleth much if it bee fervent Prayer is for all times and all things Yea in prayer wee must bee diligent Paul would have the Thessalonians to pray alwayes nay indesinenter orare to pray without ceasing but if any man say they cannot spend so much time 1 Thess 5. 17. in prayer they have other things to attend I