Church to liue as he pleaseth and then thinke that he should be followed in all that liketh him Let this pride bee left to Antichristian Prelates and their Pope Caracalla that bloudy and incestuous Emperour learned it from his Step-mother Iulia and they haue receiued it from him Imperatoris esse leges dare non accipere their liberty they esteeme a lawe and their authority an argument good enough No thou art otherwise bound by the lawe of God thou must first bee formed by him thy selfe and according to that forme and none other must thou conforme his people S. Paul exhorts the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4. 16 to bee followers of him but expounds himself in another place Be ye followers of mee as I 1. Cor. 11. 1 am of Christ Yee are the light of the world take heed that the light Math. 5. 14 Luke 11. 35 which is in you bee not turned into darkenesse they who walke not according to this rule are blind Mat. 15. 14 Acts 9. 15 Such an ensample was S. PAVL who carried the message of Christ in his mouth the image of Christ in his life the markes of Christ in his body and pernicious guides of the people For where the blinde leadeth the blinde both must fall into the ditch A worrhy ensample was Saint Paul A chosen Vessell to beare the name of his Lord for he carrieth the message of CHRIST in his mouth the image of Christ in his life the markes of Christ in his body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such an ensample willeth he Titus and all other Bishops and Pastors to be first in themselues and then to shew it out vnto the others Shew thy selfe an ensample or as the word in the originall more significantly imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exhibite thy selfe an ensample for the shewe of a good that is not endeth in shame Cum nihl simulatum sit diuturnum All Christians are bound to All Christians are bound to be ensamples shevving out Gods image to others be good ensamples vnto others for as no King will admit in his treasurie counterfait money nor suffer it to go for currant in merchandize among his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen so a soule vnlesse it haue in it the image of Christ by secret light ingrauen is not meet to bee gathered into the heauenly treasure and the holy Apostles Merchants of the kingdome reiect it as counterfait money not rightly stamped which should not be receined among Saints But howsoeuer this be a common But they are most bound who come nee rest the Lord by a holy calling dutie required of all Christians certaine it is the neerer men come to the Lord in a holy calling the more are they bound to be ensamples of holiness vnto others In the order of Nature wee see the elements seated one aboue another and according to their place they excell one another in purity the earth is the lowest element most remote from heauen and it is the grossest the water naturally compasseth the earth and is purer then the earth the ayre is aboue the water and purer then the water the fire againe is aboue the ayre and a purer element then the ayre the Spheres of Heauen compasse all and are purer then the rest As the world so the Church How the whol Church is a circle the centre and circumference whereof is the Lord. is a circle the Centre and Circumference whereof is the Lord he is the Centre which drawes al to himselfe and in whom all his Saints shall meete in one at the last hee is the Circumference which compasseth vs about to keepe in his Saints that none of them goe from him Let it bee supposed that there are many circles betweene the Centre and the Circumference but these which are neerest the Centre are likest vnto it I will be sanctified Leuit. 10. 3 sayth the Lord in all that comes neere me the neerer by place calling thou come to the Lord the more requires he to be sanctified in thee When the Army of Israel camped in the Wildernesse they were cast in a quadrant three of their Tribes on the West three on the East three on the South and three on the North in the middest of them was the Arke they were all bound to be holy but these Leuites who came neerest the Ark and carried it were bound to be more holy then others In the Reuel 4. 4 new Testament the Church is cast in forme of a circle in the middest whereof God hath his throne all enioy his presence for they are round about him but as yee may see figured by S. Iohn in the type thereof they who are neerest the Throne excell others in holinesse When the Lord proclaimed A fearefull example of iudgment on such as corrupt their waies in a high and holy calling his Lawe vpon Mount Sinai the people were parted in 3. rankes some stood in the valley and might not touch the Mount vnder paine of death others were permitted to goe vp to the Mount as Aaron Nadab Abihu Exod. 24. 11. with the Nobles of Israel these saw the glory of God Ioshua was there also yet none but Moses Verse 18. went vp to the Mount and entred in the cloud That fearefull example of Nadab and Abihu consumed with strange fire from heauen because they became profane and presumptuous to offer strange fire to the Lord euen after that God had preferred them to such high dignitie and place aboue their brethren it should be an aw-band to all those whom GOD hath set neere to himselfe by a holy calling that they corrupt not their wayes before him but as they are warned by MALACHY They keepe themselues in the Spirit lest the like strange wrath from GOD should sodainely ouertake them Of good workes By this same Three rankes of good workes Tit. 2. 12 Apostle in this Chapter good workes are diuided into three rankes for they are eyther workes of Piety toward God or of Equitie toward our neighbour or Sobriety toward our selues and these bring out a threefold fruite most sweet and excellent for by them first God is glorified secondly thy neighbour is edified thirdly thy owne conscience comforted and confirmed in the assurance of thy saluation Of the first speaks the Apostle Let Seruants shewe all faithfulnesse that they may adorne Tit. 2. 10 the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things there wee see that our The threefold fruit of them good works are an ornament to the Gospell Of the second and first also speakes our Sauiour Let your works so shine before men that they seeing them may glorifie Math. 5. 16 your Father that is in heauē there we see that God is glorified by our godly life and men thereby are edified and moued to do it Of the third speakes S. Peter Make sure your calling and election 2. Pet. 1.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A most Heauenly and Fruitfull Sermon Preached the sixt of August 1615. At the Translation of the right Reuerend Father in God the Archbishop of St. Andrewes to the Sea thereof By Mr. WILLIAM COVVPER B. of Galloway DAN 12. 3. They that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer euer Imprinted at London by G. P. for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at his shop at the great South-doore of Paules and at Britaines Bursse 1616. TO THE RIGHT Honourable my Lord SANCHAR MY LORD THere is one Starre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which from diuers Offices receiueth sudry names saith Pisida Constantinopol It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a nunce of the night and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It returneth againe and declares the approaching of the day then is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one haue I been at this time The funerall of the late Archbishop of S t Andrewes the new function of his successor gaue occasion of both I was inuited vnlooked for to the interring of the one that I might speak to the liuing for the dead and from him There Hesperus ouershadowed vs with darke and dolefull countenance Inioyned againe to preach at the entrie of the other there Phosphorus proclaimed the comming of a bright and ioyful day which I pray God may long continue Blessed be the Lord who still conserues a Ministrie in his Church One generation passeth another Eccles 1. 4 commeth but the earth remaineth much more he who formed Iam. 1. 17 it for in him falleth no shadowe of change Before the Ruler of the world stand these Oliues Zach. 4. which furnish oyle to his Candlesticke In his hand are the seauen Reuel 1. 12. starres no smoke of the bottomlesse pit can vtterly quench their light If one of them goe downe from our Horizon another ascends Elijah may be taken away but one commeth after him in the Spirit and power of Elijah Moses dyed but The God of the Spirits of all flesh raised vp Ioshua with whom he wrought no lesse powerfully then with Moses By Moses he brought Israel out of Egypt by Ioshua hee entred them in Canaan By Moses hee destroyed one Nation of the Egyptians by Ioshua he discomfited seauen Nations of the Cananites Moses diuided the red Sea and Ioshua parted Iordan into two Moses darkned the Sunne that it shined not Ioshua detained it that it went not downe according to the ordinary course Nimrod for all his might cannot build vp where IEHOVA will cast downe Neither can Sennacherib for al his pride preuaile against the Citie which God will protect They are fooles who fight against heauen Sidonians in their treatie Act. 12. 20 with Blastus for Herod his peace might learne them more wisdome they imagine to quench the light of Israel by cutting away comfortable instruments from the Church but they are deceiued for the Church is like a tree whose branches hang downe to the earth and may be cut off though not without diuine permission but the roote is in heauen which stil sendeth out others in their roome I haue penned this Sermon to stoppe the mouthes of misreporters as I preached it without paring or adding any thing except a little discourse of the Religion of our Antipodes And doe now dedicate it to your Lordship as one who being a present Auditor thereof can best beare witnes to the truth of my relation And I trust your Lordship will also accept it as a testimony of that loue which I owe vnto you for your constant profession of God his eternall truth in this declining age and your most sincere affection in all your speeches euer auowed to his Maiesties seruice whereunto as your Lordship acknowledgeth your selfe to be bounden beyond others of your ranke So I pray GOD your Lordship may continue faithfull in both vnto the death Your Lordships owne in Christ W. B. of Galloway A Most Heauenly and fruitfull Sermon Preached the sixt of August 1615. TIT. 2. 7 8. In all things shew thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauity and integritie And with the wholsome word vnreprouable that hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing concerning you to speake euill of My helpe is in the name of the LORD THese words read in Two parts of this Text. your honourable and Christian audience beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus containe two things First the duty of a good 1. Duty of Pastors Bishop or Pastor toward his people This is plainly set down hee should bee an ensample in word in worke in doctrine in life Next the duty of Christian 2. Duty of people people toward their Bishop or Pastor and this is closely set downe or as we say by way of consequence for this same precept which bindeth the one to bee an exemplar bindeth the other to bee conformable to the exemplar In the entry we are to warne Warning in the entry you that wee come not here this day to ordaine a new Bishop in the Church but to enter an old and approued Bishop vnto a new charge in the Church Neither haue I chosen this Text so much for him as for the edification of vs all who are in this holy calling I wish vnto all the rest the like wisedome in gouernment dextetity in doing and feruent zeale against the common enemy that hath been euident in him I blesse them as the Elders of Israel blessed Ruth the wife of Booz and mother of our Lord. God make them like Ruth 4. 11. Rahel and like Leah which twaine did build the house of Israel and I pray for the performance of that promise in them which God hath made to his Church by Zacharie that the meanest seruant in the house of GOD this day may become like Dauid and they who now in light and grace are like vnto Dauid may increase Zach. 12. Col. 2. 19. with the increasings of God till they become like an Angell of God Titus stablished by S. Paul Bishop of Creta hauing charge of all Churches in that I le This Epistle was written by St. Paul from Nicopolis in Macedonia to Titus whom the Apostle had taken from an other charge in the Church for hee was his companion in his peregrinations and fellow-helper in the worke of the Lord and now had bound him and burdened him with a particular care of the Churches of Creta and set him downe Bishop there Creta is an I le in the Mediterranean sea famous for this that it had in it an hundreth Cities The charge not of one but all of them is committed to Titus to teach and gouerne them and to plant Preachers in euery one of them the subscription of the Epistle so stiles him Titus the first elect Bishop of the Cretians Some of the contrary-minded as namely Mr.
such power as you haue against me but assure your self you shall neuer be able to perswade me nor yet coÌ„pel me to adhere to your impiety Modestus perceiuing that no maner of way he could preuaile dismissed him not with threatnings any more but with a feare and reuerence But forced to breake out in a great commendation of Modestus of him And comming back to his Master the Emperour hee counselled him to assay his strength against another for as to Basilius firmâ—or est quam vt verbis praestantior quam vt minis fortior quam vt blanditiis vinci possit Hee is so solid that words cannot ouercome him so resolute that threatnings cannot moue him so strong that allurements cannot alter him A notable example shewing to vs what a worthy Iewell this grace of integrity is in the seruant of God which makes him to be feared and reuerenced euen of such as are his enemies There are two euils sore enemies 2. Great euils enemies to integrity 2. Tim. 5. 21. to this grace of integrity the Apostle chargeth Timothy by a graue obtestation to beware of them both The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies preiudice or hastie iudgement whereby sentence is giuen out before sufficient tryall a dangerous euill in any Iudge but most of all in an Ecclesiasticall The Lord The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby iudgemeÌ„t is giuen of a person or matter before tryall our God the righteous Iudge of all the world gaue no sentence against Adam and Euah nay nor against the Serpent til first cognition of their fault went before neither powred he out iudgement against Sodome and Gomorrha till first hee came downe and saw that their sinnes were according to their cry which doubtlesse the Lord did to giue instruction vnto al Iudges that they should not iudge before-hand This sinne diuerted Dauid from his integrity when he gaue sentence against innocent Mephibosheth vpon the false narration made vnto him by Ziba Beware then of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is a sore enemy to integrity The other euill is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbidden The other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby a man either of self propension or others perswasion is made partiall also by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partialitie or a propension to the one side more then to the other The word may be read either with I or H if it be read with IOTA as the most part and best learned doe then it signifies partiality which commeth of a mans owne voluntary inclination to one more then to another proceeding either of loue or of hatred of feare or of some cupiditie If otherwise it be read with ETA as Theophilactus doeth then it signifieth that partiall inclination which is procured by the request intercession or aduocation of others and this is a very forcible and yet common tentation against which a Bishop hath neede Against this all in authority specially Bishops haue need to be confirmed to be confirmed that fot the pleasure of men hee incline neither to the right hand nor vnto the left but still may keepe his integrity It was a notable answere which Vitellius the Emperour gaue vnto one of his friends who being refused A notable answere of the Emperour Vitellius to this purpose of a certaine vnreasonable request had sayd vnto him with indignation What auailes your friendship to me or what better are we that you are preferred to be Emperour seeing I cannot obtaine that which I craue to whom the Emperour replied and what auailes thy friendship to mee if for thy sake I must doe that which is vnhonest and becomes me not Nazianzene compares men aduanced A comparison of Nazianz. seruing this purpose also vnto high places in the Church to those actors commonly called funambuli who walke vpon a cord stretcht out from one part to an other high aboue the earth all their safety stands in their vpright walking if they decline but a little either to the right hand or the left they become a destruction to themselues And thus much for the grace of integrity expressed here vnder the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which grace that it may bee distinguished from that which followes we do chiefely referre vnto that inward disposition of the heart whereby the man of God walketh with God as Henoch did and followes him in all his waies as Elisha followed Eliiah and would not suffer himselfe to bee diuided from him Grauity The other grace required With integrity grauity is required here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It impors such a moderate carriage as may procure reuerence to a Bishop of al that behold him This vertue composes the man of God in all his outward behauiour whereunto it is to be rereferred The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime is taken in an euill part pro tumido qui affabilis non est for a man swelling with such conceit of himselfe This grauity composeth all the parts of a Bishop or Pastors outward conuersation 2. Tim. 2. 24. as makes him strange and difficil toward others not accessible nor curteous nor humane to speak vnto Such statelinesse the Apostle will haue farre from the man of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seruant of the Lord should bee gentle toward all men he should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 courteous affable despising no man yet so that hee still keepe this grauity in al his outward actions yea euen in his countenance and gesture of his body Corporis Ambr. offic lib. 1. cap. 18. enim motus vox quaedam est animi the motion of the body is a certaine language of the minde Dissolute laughter Cachinnus was taxed by the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in their sermons for a foule fault and such as was not tolerable in any Christian And Ambrose in the place before cited records that he debarred one from the Ministry who otherway could haue done good offices in the Church onely because his behauiour was light and vndecent and such as became not the grauity of a Preacher We haue here then three notable Three graces required to make a complete Pastor parts which make the man of God complete Sincerity within Grauity without with these the grace of powerfull preaching Oh how seldome do these concurre together how many shall we finde can make a faire shew without of that which is not within or if he haue both yet wanteth the third and is not able to put his talent to profit vttering the grace which he hath receiued with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the edification of others The Century Wrirers make mention of one Androneus Episcopus RotomageÌ„sis that he was humilis corde grauis vultu sapiens Cent. 7. It is rare to finde these graces concur in one in colloquio prudens in consilio vehemeÌ„s in