of the Saints the hands and arms are the Court and Porch of this Temple The legs are so many Marble Pillars that support and bear it up the eyes in the forehead the supreme and highest place like windows that transmit and convey light And as for the inward cells of the Brain and Heart they are as the Sanctuary and Body of the Temple But the soul with the several powers and faculties the understanding Will Affections this is the Sanctum Sanctorum the most Holy of all other For as there is and ought to be a correspondence betwixt the nature of God and the manner of his service so must there be likewise an agreement betwixt it and the place God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.24 And as he is worshipped in Spirit for the manner so will he also be worshipped in spirit the for the place in the spirits souls of Believers Though God dwels in the Body yet chiefly in the Soul this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by way of excellency Gods Temple And thus are we at last come into Gods Temple by many degrees and steps as they ascended into that of Solomon Or as they climb up some long ladder by several staves which rise each higher then the other and like unto Jacobs ladder the foot whereof stood upon the ground so doth the material Temple but the top thereof which is the mystical reacheth unto Heaven Ingrediturque solo et caput inter nubila condit That is the spirit and soul of man (e) Arist de Anima Lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher teacheth Hierusalem which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the mother of us all The Congregation of the first born whose names are written in Heaven And in two respects is the Church assimilated and compared to a Temple The Church a Temple in two respects 1. Ratione structurae et aedificationis 2. Ratione usus et inhabitationis First The Church is Gods Temple in regard of the structure or the building Ratione structurae et aedificationis For every house is built of some man but he that buildeth all things is God Heb. 3.4 God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Architect of heaven earth he likewise frames and fashions his Church which is as it were a Heaven here on Earth And as the soul in the Body doth Fabricare sibi domiclium so God who is the soul of the Church prepares and formes his own dwelling Nor shall we need over-curiously to enquire touching the manner of the workmanship Qui vectes quae ferramenta What tools and instruments God had to effect it which were the several Queries of the Epicure in Tully concerning the Creation of the world For as in the Creation Dixit et fact a sunt He spake the word and it was done he commanded and it was created So God doth but speak the word in the mouth of his Ministers there is but a Dixit on Gods part and forthwith there followes a factum est without more adoe There is neither noise of axe nor sound of hammer to be heard in the building of this Temple no more nay far less then in that sumptuous and stately Temple of Hierusalem The foundation of which Temple is not the Church The foundation of this Temple Not the Church that being the Temple it self This were to confound the building with the foundation and how should the Church be accounted the Pillar and ground of faith which relies and rests upon it or if the text seems to favour it and imports as much in express terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.15 yet is it onely Columna forensis like unto the Pillars of of the Heathen whereunto their solemn Laws and constitutions were publickly affixed and so made manifest and legible to the people It is not Columna architectonica that supports and bears up the weight of the frame Not St. Peter Nor is St. Peter the Pillar of the Church which he no more sustaines then ever St. Christopher carried Christ whom nevertheless the Romish faction injuriously honour as the great Atlas of the universal Church firmely leaning upon the strength of his shoulders and though St. Peter bestiled a pillar yet is that title given in common to the rest Galations the second Chapter and the nine verse And when Iames Cophas and Iohn who seemed to be pillars And it as worth the observing that St. Paul purposely inverts the order Iames Cophas and Iohn placeing James and not Cophas in the forefront least he should have seemed thereby to have conferred the Primacy upon him and made Peter Metropolitan over his Brethren Nor doth he join the Sons of Zebedee hand in hand who were surnamed Bonaerges and accompanied Christ in his transfiguration but ranks Saint Peter in the midst that he might no way be suspected to ascribe unto them the like authority and jurisdiction Let Peter then continue his name yet is he Petrus non Petra the chief corner Stone and Rock of our Salvation Christ builds not upon Saint Peter but builds Saint Peter upon himself (f) August in Mat. 16.18 Super me aedifieabo te non me super te as Augustine upon the place And let him for ever enjoy his title of Cephas and be deservedly honoured as a choice stone yet is he not the chief coâ—ner stone or the foundation of the building But Christ is the foundation of the Church two ways For other foundations can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 A Doctrinal Foundation Respectu doctâ—inae reveâ—atae The supernatural and divine Truth of the Scriptures wherewith he inspired the Church in all Ages by the ministry of his messengers and in the fulness of Time instructed it by word of mouth Respectu doctrinae revelatae immediately in his own Person as being the Eternal Wisdom and Essential Word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who was sent from the bosom of the Father 1. A personal foundation Respectu gratiae salutiferae which by the satisfaction and merits Respectu gratiae salutiserae whereby he trod the wine-press alone he hath effectually purchased procured And herein it far exceeds and altogether differs from earthy foundations which are in imo laid low and deep within the ground but Christ is Fundamentum in summo the uppermost part of that new Hierusalem which commeth down from Heaven 2. Descend we therefore from the foundation to the walls the society and company of the faithful The people of God are the walls of the Temple all of them disposed and couched together as so many lively stones in a mystical and spiritual Temple This is that elegant strain and metaphos wherewith Saint Peter seems to be much affected and delighted to whom ye come as unto a living stone disallowed of by men but chosen of God
bad They both grow alike 5 The Time and Term of the flourishing estate of the wicked It is but until the Harvest And this until is both a Note of Determination and Termination Till then It doth not end before Till then it doth not continue after 6. The true and proper reason of the being growth and continuance of the Wicked And that is Christ's sufferance and toleration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suffer both to grow together until the harvest I shall take them up as they lay in order And first of the first 1. The first Proposition The different nature of good and bad resembled by Wheat and Tares The purblind world judgeth all things amisse and observes no inequality or disparity among the sons of men Homo homini quid praestat stulto intelligens quid interest say they with him in the comedie What difference in point of excellency betwixt one man and another But if we consult with the Oracle of God that resolves us to the contrary The righteous is more Excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12.26 And iâ— there be any creature of greater transcendency then the rest it seems to illustrate their dignity by way of similitude and comparison As being the Lillie among Flower The Dove among Fowls Gold among Meâ—tals And wheat among grain both for the worth and weight of it A fit Emblem of the Faithful who are the chief and choice of men even as Wheat beareth the greatest price and value among grain And the worth of the faithful appears in their weight in in regard of their stedfastness and stability their constancy and continuance which are no way moved much less removed with the gusts and blasts of temptation Even as Wheat which is a ponderous and a heavy substance is not carried away with the force and violence of the wind (d) Cyprian de unit Eccles Sect. 8. Nemo putet bonos de Ecclesia posse discedere Triticum non rap t ventus saith St. Cyprian But as for the ungodly they are as Tares or blasted Ears Tares for their emptiness whose heart is utterly destitute of grace and goodness even as blasted Eares have no inward pith nor substance no food nor foison in them and Tares be for their lightness (e) Avoleâ—t quantum volent Paleae levis fidei quocunque afflatu tentationum eo purior massa frumenti in horrea domini reponetur Tertul. de Praeser adver Haeret. Inanes Paleae Cypr. ibid. Paleae levis fidei as Tertullian stileth them and so subject to fly away being hurried to and fro with every puff of wind The Southern wind of favour and preferment which blowes upon them with a gentle and pleasing blast and though in it self it be but an evil wind yet in their opinion it blows them to good The blustering and boisterous North winds of trial and persecution Each of these winds whether it blows from the North or South doth easily carry away these light and empty Tares out of the Church And those our Saviour he sets forth under the similitude of Tares or blasted Eares in the Parable of the Text. And that in opposition to the Wheat thereby importing their unprofitable and worthless nature Such is the difference betwixt good and bad as betwixt Wheat and Tares 2. The impurity and imperfection of the visible Church The second Proposition consisting of good and bad even as the same field contains both Wheat and Tares The name of the Church is no univocal word wherein there is an agreement both of Name and Nature but an aequivocal voice where things of a most different nature communicate in the same name I speak not this of the Jesuites who in respect of their execrable doctrine of their mental reservations and aequivocations are fitly stiled aequivocal Christians But of the external members of the visible Church the greater part whereof are only commended by the titular profession of Christianity as an empty sign and shadow and yet want the thing signified and are utterly destitute of the substance And as the name of the Church is no univocal but aequivocal voice so the Church it self is no Homogeneal but an Heterogeneal body not like unto the similar parts of men Blood Spirits or the like each portion whereof is suitable and agreeable to the whole But resembling the organical parts as a Leg or Arm which consists of Skin Flesh Bones and Marrow And these far different from each other There are three several places in the world Heaven Hell and Earth In Heaven above there are none but perfectly good the blessed society of Saints and Angels In Hell beneath none but irrecoverably wicked the cursed crue of damned spirits But the visible Church upon Earth is a middle place and state betwixt both a confused mixture and medley both of good and bad like unto Noahs Ark wherein were cooped up both clean and unclean beasts A wide drag-net that closes not only profitable fish but worthless weeds and beggery A common Inne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a receptacle for all commers A great House which affords vessels of gold and silver and some other of wood and earth 2 Tim. 2.20 A Barn or threshing Floor where corn and chaff lie covered in the same heap Mot. 3.12 And here in the Text A vast and open Field that brings forth Wheat and Tares And as it was said of Hantbals Army Colluvies omnium gentium So is the visible Church a promiscuous Company and Congregation a rabble and a rapsody of all sorts corrupt Hereticks who deprave the verity of the faith supercilious and factious Schismaticks that deprive and destrâ—y the unity of the Church disguised and masked Hypocrits meer Scepticks in their opinion Hybrides in their profession Amphibia in their conversation like unto those flying fishes in America that live sometimes in the water and sometimes in the air and are ill accepted in both places the ravenous fishes being ready to devour them below and the Sea fowls continually beating them above And last of all men openly profane and vicious (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat Epist ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat ibid. Ignatius reduces the several sorts of men in the visible Church to two Heads and observes the same difference among men that is to be found in coyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof some is true and sound such as can endure the Touch the other is false and counterfeit Holy men are God's coyn that bear his image and superscrip ion But as for proâ—â—ne and wicked men they are adulterate deceitful and corrupt â—oyn that are minted and stamped by the Divel It is St. Chrysoâ—â—omes observation upon the 23. of Saint Matthâ—w that there is somewhat bred and born in every creature that wasts and consumes the substance The soundest Timber engenders worms the finest Garments give life to Moths The most wholesome Herbs bring forth small flies that fret them in pieces Neither fares it otherwise
drink with weeping after the manner of David Ye that now sow in tears shall reap in joy ye that now go forth weeping and it matters not though the seed time be somewhat moist so the Harvest prove dry and carry precious seed shall return with joy and bring your sheaves with you Psal 126.5.6 What though the light of God shines bright and cleer upon the forehead and about the Tabernacle of the wicked while ye in the mean time are hanged up like Bottles in the smoak and cast into by-corners like the shreds of a a broken pot They sing to the Lute and see their children dance before them whereas your hearts are heavy in your bodies as lead your sighs beat as thick as a swift pulse and water your couch with your tears They wash their paths in butter and their Tables are full furnished day by day But earth and ashes are your bread yet comfort your selves ye seed of the righteous with the setled expectation of a Harvest wherein ye shall rejoyce according to the joy of Harvest as the Prophet Isaiah speaks yea comfort ye comfort ye your hearts against the Fret of the ungodly the present prosperity of the wicked Learn to laugh them to scorn after the example of the most high for that you see that their day is coming Psal 37.13 when it shall be verified of them which the Prophet affirms of Babylon Jer. 51.33 The daughter of Babel is like a threshing floor The time of her threshing is come yet a little while and the time of her Harvest shall come It is Gregories speech in his morals upon Job occasioned by an elegant and exact description of the happiness of the ungodly Job 21. from the 6. to the 13. verse (t) Greg. in Job O Job bene enumer asti vitam impiorum dic finem quaeso Thou hast set forth to the life the life of the wicked Tell us I pray thee what is their end And he supplies and furnisheth himself with an answer out of the next words They spend their days in wealth and suddenly they go down into the Grave v. 13. If any propound and move the like question that have hitherto heard of the growth of these Tares and are pensive and disconsolate at the hearing of it dic finem quaeso what is the end of these Tares and what abides them in time of Harvest let such take their answer from the mouth of Christ in the words after the Text. And in time of Harvest I wil say to the reapers Gather ye fâ—râ— the Tares and bind them in sheaves to burn them This is their end An end without end and so I am fallen upon the Sixt and last point 6. The Sixth Proposition The true and proper reason of the being growth and continuance of the wicked and that is Christ's rance and toleration Suffer both to grow together This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath a double reference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath a double reference First to Christ the Housholder or owner of the field who utters the words Suffer and therein presents himself as a precedent and pattern for their imitation Secondly the servants of the Housholder who complained of the springing up of the Tares Master sowed â— thou not good seed in thy field from whence then hath it Tares ver 23. And so it serves as a rule of instruction to suffer them after his example First this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer hath reference to Christ the Housholder First to Christ the Housholder or owner of the field The will of God is as single and simple as his nature yet is it expressed and signified by general signs as both Lombard and Aquinas teach 1. His precept councel and operation in respect of good 2. His prohibition and permission of Evil So that sufferance is an act of God's will concerning sin which he neither commands nor counsels nor brings to passe But prohibits and yet gives way to both at once Of all the mysteries of Religion Praecipit ac prohibet permittit consulit implet there is none more intricate and involved There is not a more vexed question and disquisition than that which respects Gods concourse in sinful actions wherein there is equal danger of running into each extreme either by laying an attainder upon divine justice who is purity and holiness it self and is not a God that loveth wickedness as David speaks Psal 5.4 as if he were any way guilty or accessory to our sins or by charging and challenging of Gods providence as if he were a bare spectator and over-seer who by his All-seeing Eye did only foresee things to come but by any active power did no way interpose and intermeddle in our affairs And the reconciling of both these together the clearing Gods Justice and Providence in this particular is a point of no less difficulty than importance And this one word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suffer doth compromise the difference and as an indifferent Vmpire or Moderator equally determines and states the question for both attributes For first Christ suffers these Tares not involuntarily or against his will which would argue either ignorance or impotency and want of power but in a voluntary and willing manner concurring as an universal cause to the sustentation of the creature to the natural being of their sinful actions though not to the moral defect and sinfulness And yet ordering their sins to his own ends the manifestation of his glory both of his Justice and Mercy by his over-ruling and all-disposing providence Secondly though Christ suffers yet he only suffers the children of the wicked he doth not inwardly excite and move them unto sin not outwardly prescribe and command it in his word not operatively effect or work nor approve and allow it being once committed All which are so many arguments of the holiness of his nature and the exquisiteness of his Justice Christ suffers the Tares willingly and therein gives testimony to his Providence but he only suffers he is not the Author that shews his Justice If then we desire and seek resolution in the point touching the proper and direct cause of evil we shall not find it like unto the River Nilus the head whereof could not be discovered Nor need we rack and torture our thoughts with Saint Austin in a busie and too too curious inquisition which moved him to turn Manichee But we may resolve it into the liberty of mans will as the only impulsive and effcient cause of his own sin void indeed of any inward principle of corcuption and endowed with sufficiency of gifts and abilities to resist temptation and yet mutable in his state and condition into the wily subtilty and spiteful malice of the Devil as the procatartical and moving cause outwardly inviting and inveagling him with his suggestions And into the free pormission of the will of God leaving man in the hand