in both kindes and the people as it was glorified because the concomitancy maketh them receiue both in one kinde Adde hereunto that they must mocke the people with vnconsecrated wine or beare them in hand that it is arbitrary in the Church whether they shall or shall not haue it Their other reasons are ridiculous certainly they agree not with the precept Doe this No more doth whatsoeuer they doe besides as their Reseruation their Circumgestation their Application of the Host vnto many vses whereunto God neuer ordained it But the most notorious corruption of these words is that they are made a part of the Priests Ordination as if they did giue him power to sacrifice both for quicke and dead For from these words doe they deriue that part of the Priesthood yea vpon these words they build the Masse also as if Hoc facite were as much as sacrifice and immolate Christ vnbloudily But I will not stand to refute them As the Pastors worke is enioyned in Hoc facite so is the Peoples also they must doe as the Disciples did take that which was distributed amongst them eate that which was consecrated for them and they must feed thereon with their bodies and with their soules Not only with their bodies as carnall Christians doe nor with their soules as the Papists teach their people to communicate mentally with the Priest as if a man were euer fit to communicate mentally when he is not fit to communicate corporally but we must communicate with both otherwise wee are not compleat guests of this entire Feast And though of the two better the body bee wanting than the soule because the grace that possesseth the soule will redound to the body but the food of the body cannot benefit the soule yet seeing the body and bloud of Christ is the fountaine of life spirituall to our soules immortall to our bodies our best course is to eate and drinke with both that we may liue and liue in both blessedly for euer As the People must doe this so they must take heed that beside this they doe not eyther superstitiously adore the Elements or Atheistically prophane them in swearing either by the heauenly or the earthly part of the Sacrament The last Note that I will giue is the Commemoration that is enioyned by the precept Doe this in remembrance St. Paul expounds the word thus Shew forth the Lords death And indeede the Sacrament is a liuely representation of the crucifying of Christ and but a Commemoration For the Popish Masse is refuted in this very word and St. Pauls phrase which shew that Christ is not crucified againe but the manner of his crucifying Sacramentally represented to vs and so the Fathers tooke it But as the Pastor must commemorate the sacrificing in his worke so must the People the sacrifice in taking and feeding thereupon as vpon the viaticum peregrinantium militantum Finally that which remembreth vs must be often frequented by vs so must this Sacrament Wherein it differs from Baptisme which cannot be reiterated this may yea it must The first Christians thought so who at first receiued it euery day they may make vs blush whose deuotion is now so cold But I end That death which Christ endured for vs and doth offer to vs wee must remember in such signes and apply to our selues by such meanes as he hath appointed if we meane to be benefited thereby MOst mercifull Sauiour that by thy powerfull word hast consecrated these holy Mysteries of thy most precious Body and Bloud broken and shed to be the vndoubted pledges of thy Gospell and euer-running Conduits of thy Grace curing the deadly wounds of all our sinnes and satisfying as many as thirst and hunger after righteousnesse grant that we neuer neglect to receiue and when we receiue may euer be prepared prepared both in body and soule so here by faith worthily to feed on thee as thou representest thy selfe veyled in thy Church Militant that we may hereafter fully enioy thee as thou presentest thy selfe vnueiled in the Church Triumphant And in acknowledgement of this present grace and that future glory let euery one of vs become a sanctified Eucharist that with soule and body wee may now and euer sing Glory be to thee O Lord O Lord our strength and our Redeemer Amen IHS THREE SERMONS PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRALL Church of Wells at the Feast of WHITSVNTIDE EPHES. 4. verse 7 8. But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith When he ascended vp c. to the 17. verse THe Apostle in former Chapters hath opened the mysteries of the Gospell but at this hee beginnes to deduce certaine rules of life which spring therefrom and hee doth specially recommend vnto the Ephesians three Christian Vertues Vnitie Pietie and Constancie he would haue them all agree in Gods truth and expresse that truth in their liues and not wauer in their liues for feare of the Crosse But more particularly touching Vnitie he tels them wherein it consists and wherefore it must be entertained Wherein it consists we learne in the verses that goe before but wherfore it must be entertained we are taught in these that now I haue read vnto you The Reasons are partly the meanes whereby and partly the end for which we receiue the gifts of God The meanes are two one Principall which is Christ the other Instrumentall which are his Ministers And the End is twofold first our Consummation in grace secondly our Preseruation from errour These bee the particulars which take vp so much of this Chapter as reacheth from the seuenth to the seuenteenth verse At this time sutably to the time I shall entreat only of the first of our meanes of Christ the principall meanes whereby we obtaine the blessings of God And here we are to see first What Christ doth then What right hee had to doe it What Christ doth is set downe three wayes but all yeelde but one sense first He giueth grace secondly He giueth gifts and thirdly He fils all things that is by him we haue Gods blessings But we may resolue them into two points the Gift and the Giuer the gift is grace and that grace hath power to fill and this is nothing but a description of the Holy Ghost which descended this day for he is the filling grace of God Of this gift the Giuer is Christ it is here called expresly his gift and he giues it discreetly because according to a measure and yet vniuersally not one of the Church which doth not partake it to euery one of vs is giuen grace This Christ doth and he doth no more than he may his right to doe it is gathered out of his Ascension which St. Paul describes to be a deserued Triumph The parts of a Triumph as they know which are read in stories were these two first the person of the Conquerour was carried in state and secondly the monuments of his
33 34. Well Master thou hast said the truth c. p. 358. 10. Sermons on the 19. Chapter of Exodus p. 367. c. 5. Sermons preached at Saint Maries in Oxford Luke 3. v. 7 8 9. Then said he to the people that came to bee baptized of him O Generation of vipers c. p. 473. A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse Luke 18. v. 7 8. And shall not God auenge his owne elect c. p. 531. Jn the third Alphabet 8. SErmons preached at the Feast of the Natiuitie of our Sauiour Esay 9. v. 6 7. For vnto vs a child is borne c. p. 1. 6. Sermons preached at the Feast of the Natiuitie of our Sauiour Haggai 2. v. 6 7 8 9. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heauens and the Earth c. p. 57. A Sermon preached at New Colledge in Oxford vpon the Annuntiation Day Luke 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured c. p. 113. A Sermon on Palme Sunday Matthew 26.40 41. What could yee not watch with me one houre p. 127. A Sermon on Good Friday Marke 14. v. 35 36. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed c. p. 136. A Sermon preached at Saint Peters in Oxford on Easter day 1. Corinth 15.20 Christ is risen from the dead c. p. 151. A Sermon preached in Wells on Easter Day Matthew 26. v. 26 27 28. And as they were eating Iesus tooke bread and blessed it c. p. 161. 3. Sermons preached in Wells at the Feast of Whitsontide Ephes 4. v. 7 8. c. ad 17. But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ c. p. 177. A Sermon preached in Westminster before his Maiestie and the vpper House of Parliament at the opening of the Fast Iuly 2 1625. 1. Kings 8. v. 37 38 39. 40. If there be in the land famine if there bee pestilence c. p. 200. 2. Sermons preached at Wells at an Ordination of Ministers Matthew 28. v. 18 19 20. All power is giuen to me in Heauen and Earth c. p 221. A Sermon preached at a Visitation in Bathe Zacharie 11 v. 7. And I tooke vnto me two staues the one I called Beautie c. p. 249. Another Sermon preached at a Visitation in Bathe 1. Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am c. p. 261. A Sermon preached at an Assize in Winchester Esra 7. v. 26. And whosoeuer will not doe the law of thy God and the law of the King c. p. 273. A Sermon preached at an Assize in Oxford Psal 75. v. 2 3. When I shall receiue the Congregation I will iudge vprightly c. p. 282. A Sermon preached in Wells at the Inauguration of King Iames Psal 118. v. 24 25. This is the day which the Lord hath made c. p. 299. A Sermon preached at Saint Maries in Oxford Nouemb. 5. Luke 9. v. 53 54 55 56 But they would not receiue him because his face was as though he would goe to Ierusalem c p. 307. Jn the fourth Alphabet A Sermon preached in Welles a man doing Penance for Incest Psal 50. v. 21. These things hast thou done c. p. 1. A Sermon preached in Wells a woman doing Penance for Incest Gal. 6. v. 1. Brethren if a man be ouertaken in a fault c. p. 10. A Sermon preached in Wells a man doing Penance for Incest with his wiues daughter 1. Cor. 5. v. 1 2 3 4 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you c. p. 18. A Sermon preached in Welles two doing Penance for Incest a man and his wifes daughter Leuit. 20. v. 14. Likewise if a man taketh a wife and her mother this is wickednesse c. p. 32. A Sermon preached in Welles foure doing Penance for Incest committed by one with his wifes daughter by the other with his wises sister Deut. 27. v. 22 23. Cursed is he that lieth with his Sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother c. p 42. A Sermon preached in Welles one doing Penance for hauing two wiues Mal. 2. v. 15. And did he not make one yet had he abundance of spirit c. p. 53. A Sermon preached in Welles certaine persons doing Penance for being at Conuenticles where a woman Preached 1. Tim. 2. v. 11 12 13 14. Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection But I suffer not a woman to teach c. p. 67. A Sermon preached at Welles one doing Penance for Blasphemie Leuit. 24. v. 15 16. And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying Whosoeuer curseth his God shall beare his sinne c. p. 79. A Sermon preached in Wells a Schismatick doing Penance 1. Cor. 3.18 Let no man deceiue himselfe If any among you seeme to be wise c. p 94. A Sermon preached at Farnham on Saint Iames his Day being the day of King Iames his Coronation Iames 1.12 Blessed is the man that indureth tentation c. p. 107. A Sermon preached at White-Hall Iohn 2.16 Make not my Fathers House an House of Merchandize p. 122. A Sermon preached at Greenwich Psal 32. v. 5. I said I will confesse my sinnes c. p. 132. A Sermon preached at White-Hall Luke 22. v. 60 61 62. And immediately while he yet spake the Cocke crew c. p. 143. A Sermon preached at Greenwich Matth. 3.16 17. And Iesus when hee was baptized went vp straight way c. p. 159. A Sermon preached at White-Hall 1. Iohn 3. v. 20 21. For if our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart c. p. 176. Meditations vpon diuers Texts of Scripture AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PSALME VERS 1. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the vngodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornfull THis Psalme stands first in order and for the matter it well deserues to stand first Venerable Bede giues the reason Hic Psalmus fine titulo quia ipse est titulus this Psalme hath no inscription because it selfe is an inscription it containes the argument of all the other Psalmes and if of all the Psalmes then of all the Bible know them and know all yea know all in the best manner Non Theoreticè sed Practicè we may behold therein Man as a liuing Bible the Man Christ exactly of whom not a few of the Psalmes entreate and other men proportionably whose affections are here limmed and described be they good or bad The diuision then of this Psalme is the same with that of the whole Bible in both wee must obserue a Couenant and Parties thereunto the Parties are God and Man Man is remembred in the entrance Blessed is the man God in the close of the Psalme The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous c. The
sacrificium visibile fuit inuisibilis sacramentum Sacrifices were but shadowes of good things to come as S. Paul speaketh to the Hebrewes There was in them a signe and a thing signified and the signe was commanded not for it selfe but for the thing signified to represent our Ransome or to testifie our Homage Seperate or oppose the signe and the thing signified and presently you corrupt Gods ordinance and then God doth not desire God doth not delight in such Sacrifices For in the case of our Ransome if you separate what doe you but transferre the price of Christs sauing blood vnto the contemptible blood of bulles and goates the legall Sacrifices did purifie the flesh Acts 13. and made men sit for the visible congregation not for the inuisible without their reference to the death of Christ and therefore doth Saint Paul say that by him all that beleeue are iustified from all those things from which they could not be iustified by the Law of Moses And what wonder seeing our Ethicks or Oeconomicks or Politicks whatsoeuer vertue we haue priuate or publike if it find any grace in the eyes of God it is commended by the death by the Obedience of Christ If wee may not seperate much lesse may wee oppose the signe to the thing signified set Moses against Christ and in defence of his sacrifices vilifie the sacrifice of Christ And yet such blind zeale transported many of the Iewes who so became guilty of sacrilegious blasphemie That which is true concerning our Ransome holds also concerning our Homage wee may not separate wee may not oppose the signe and the thing signified If wee separate what doe wee but giue a beast vnto God and a man vnto the Diuell and seeing the gift measureth the respect to whom we giue the best it is an argument that wee loue him most Hee that so sacrificeth in stead of honouring doth dishonour God Oppose the signe to the thing signified and then wee doe plainly dishonour our selues for if wee offer what wee thinke best then in our iudgement wee are not so good as a beast and hee that iudgeth so deserueth rather to goe for a beast then a man And how should God accept any thing from him that doth so basely vnderualew himselfe Certainly when such persons come with such Sacrifices it may truely then be said God doth not desire them God doth not delight in them Greg. Mag. The rather because as I told you God in his Ordinance did prescribe as well opus operantis as opus operatum Attendit Deus saith S. Gregory ad affectum magis quà m ad censum nec animaduertit quantum in eius sacrificio sed ex quanto proficiscatur Sacrifices passe with God not according to the worth of the offering but the good will of the offerer if that bee wanting the rest findeth no acceptance Out of this which you haue heard you may learne why the Prophets doe so declaime against the Ceremoniall worship and why they speake so contemptibly of it they are not to be vnderstood absolutely but relatiuely relatiuely to the Cautions of the Law which are two first a sound opinion of the Offering and secondly a religious deuotion in the Offerer When mens opinions did not conioyne orderly the signe with the thing signified or when they came not piously affected to the seruice of God then God did not desire their Sacrifice he did not delight in their burnt offerings In a word in their Ceremoniall worship there was Aliquid Primarium and Aliquid Secundarium there was something to haue the preheminence and something that was but to attend that when two such things meet Math. 23.23 then Christs rule is good Hoc opportet facere illud non omittere we must spend our greatest deuotion vpon the Principall but not neglect the Secundarie Had the Iewes kept themselues within these bounds God would neuer haue derogated from that which they did by his owne Ordinance And if for our abuse God so dis-regard what himselfe commands how vile will corporall worship which man doth iustitute bee in his eyes when it is soured with the same leauen Which yeeldeth a good Item to the Church of Rome whose deuotion is most changeable in this kind But all this while I haue taken the words Sacrifice and burnt offering at large I told you that the Argument of the Psalme draweth them into a narrower roome In relation to King Dauids case they note vnto vs the two parts of the Reconciliatory Offerings the Sinne offering and the Holocaust and then my Text is not only true in relation to the opinion and deuotion of men but absolutely true according to the tenor of the Law For sinnes for which a man may be reconciled vnto God by Legall sacrifices are either only Ceremoniall pollutions or if morall defects then they were onely such as came from ignorance or infirmitie as you may read in the fourth fifth and sixth Chapters of Leuiticus touching the latter and touching the former in the 12.14 and 15. Chapters But if a man sinned with an high hand if that which hee committed were a crying sinne God left the malefactors to the sword of the Magistrate there was no Sacrifice appointed to discharge him from such kind of guilt as God teacheth Numb 15. and in this sense God sent Eli word 1. Sam. 13.4 that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offerings for euer Vers 14. And to that purpose speaketh God also Esay 22. of the enormous sinnes of the Iewes Surely this iniquity shall not bee purged from you Quaest ad Gentil proaspos quaest 97. till you die saith the Lord of Hoasts stoning heading hanging were the expiation of such sinnes as Iustin Martyr teacheth But wee may not mistake when God visited such enormous sinnes with corporall plagues then to stay his punishing hand from proceeding Num 16.46 Sacrifice might be offered Aaron with incense stood betweene the dead and the liuing when the plague of God was vpon Israel and staid his wrath 〈…〉 Dauid sheathed the sword of the punishing Angel with a Sacrifice on the threshing floore of Araunah Hezechias expiated the Idolatry of his Fathers time yea and by Iob it seemeth that the wrath of 〈◊〉 may be preuented too for he sacrficed lest peraduenture his sonnes 〈…〉 Hasphemed But God would not exempt them by any Sacrifice 〈◊〉 the Magistrate he left their soules to take benefit of the dayly 〈…〉 and their bodies to publike iustice who were disturbers of the â—â—â—â—like peace either of Church or Common-weale Where by the way you may learne how holy God would haue his people that in cases where the Magistrate could not touch them would haue them touched in conscience and by Sacrifice seeke their peace with God and not giue the same priuiledge to their heauenly estate as he did vnto the worldly But to apply this vnto King Dauids case and therein to see the
Nations comprehend both Iewes and Gentiles and in the Prophets the re-vnion of Iuda and Israel so often mentioned meaneth no other than the knitting of the Iewes and the Gentiles into one Church and making one Flocke of these two kinde of Sheepe The Oliue Tree will beare both branches Rom. 11. the Seale of God is to be set vpon both Reuel 6. and both make vp one peculiar purchâ—sed people of Christ one Houshold one Kingdome Ephes 2. all are Christs by the merit of his Passion and therefore the Apostles must goe to all euen to all that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death Luke 1. and none are in any better case as St. Paul proueth to the Romanes they were dead in their sinnes and destitute of the glory of God All need the Gospell and therefore it must bee preached vnto all And that it might bee preached the Apostles were endued with all Languages The world is much troubled now about Vniuersall Grace the Resolution in short may be this that forbearing to bee ouer-busie with Gods Predestination who is not pleased to acquaint vs with his Counsell in his distinguishing persons in a Ministers Commission Grace is Vniuersall we should labour the conuersion of all and euery one neither should any man except himselfe but labour to bee in the number of that all to whom God sendeth One Note more before I leaue this point This large circuit was one of the Perogatiues of the Apostles they were not restrained to any Diocesse or Prouince as Bishops now are but as the Spirit led them and they saw cause they might euery one plant and water the Church euery where It is true that for conueniency and expedition of their message they diuided themselues into seuerall Quarters but without excluding each the other in this sense was Peter the Apostle of the Iewes Paul of the Gentiles yet did Peter preach to the Gentiles and Paul to the Iewes The power of Orders in their successors is not limited in it selfe actually all that are ordered are inabled to exercise their Function in any part of the world and they may be sent to conuert any Nation and it is but for the more orderly gouernment and edification of the Church that the exercise of euery mans Orders is restrained to a certaine charge and without leaue or a case of great necessity those that breake these Canons offend grieuously and there bee not a few that offend that way I hope that you which are now to be ordered will not proue such Hauing competently been told Whither the Apostles are sent it followeth that yee now heare Whereabout They must teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text make Disciples And indeede it is not a bare Historicall narration that they must make of the Gospell they must seeke by morall instruction to winne the people vnto Christ so teach that their hearers may become the followers of Christ And here obserue first the wonderfull goodnesse of God The Iewes and the Gentiles conspired both to crucifie Christ they put him to a shamefull and a painfull death would not you feare least and looke that he should send messengers against both with fire and sword to take vengeance on them and worke their vtter desolation But see our sweete Iesu came not to destroy but to saue Luke 9. hee forgetteth and forgiueth not onely Peters deniall and the rest of the Apostles forsaking him but also the impious blasphemers of his holy Name and barbarous murderers of his sacred Person hee is ready to receiue them vnto Grace and admit them to be his Disciples A goodnesse so wonderfull that all the world may stand amazed at it Secondly all the world was rent into Sects the Iewes into Pharisees Sadducees Herodians c. the Gentiles they were distracted not only in their Philosophy but in their Diuinity also and had as manifold deuotion as they had opinions the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that the time was now come that they should all grow into one and in point of Religion speake one and the selfe same thing and serue one and the selfe same God All Nations should remember themselues and be turned to the Lord Psal 22. the Prophets foretold it Esay 44. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the Name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and surname himselfe by the Name of Israel so speake the Iewes but not the Iewes onely for in Zachary chapt 8. the Prophesie is deliuered thus The Inhabitants of one Citie shall goe to another saying Let vs goe speedily to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of Hosts I will goe also Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations euen shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iewe saying Wee will goe with you for we haue heard that God is with you And that they goe vp to be Disciples it is plainly affirmed by Esay chapt 2. Many people shall goe and say Come ye and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes In Micah you shall reade the very same All comes to that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh Be yee not called Rahbi for one is your Master euen Christ Matth. 23. And the weapons of the Apostles warfare were mighty through God to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. But those weapons were not carnall but spirituall It is for Mahumetans to make their Muselmans as they call them that is right Beleeuers if he beleeue aright that beleeues in the Alcaron a sinke of all senslesse and sensuall dreames by the sword But such a manner of making Schollars is fit for the matter they shall learne And I would too many Christians were not too neare followers of them in this barbarous course who pretend the reclaiming of Heretickes so they call the Orthodoxe but indeede would propagate their owne Heresies and what they cannot doe by the Word that they endeauour by the Sword Of this we may be sure that the Apostles neuer made Disciples that way neither would Christ haue Schollars come to him by constraint Teaching is the Heauenly meanes of Conuersion those that are Gods Schollars are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and his Law is Thora a Doctrine Christ went about teaching Matth. 10. and it was by teaching that the holy Ghost led the Apostles into all Truth Iohn 14. 26. And indeede this is the most noble kinde of winning men to winne their vnderstanding and winne their will winne his reasonable faculties then you winne a man Not so if you force his body that may make him yeeld against his conscience but at best hee will be but an Hypocrite and you haue gotten but the worser part of him not a man but his Vizard
haue seene how Christ did furnish himselfe sutably to his calling it remaines that I shew you now in few wordes how hee did employ his furniture to the good of his charge His Charge is called by the name of a flocke which I told you is though a figuratiue yet an implicit definition of a Church For a flocke is a congregation of sheepe and euery member of the Church is a sheepe so they are often called and all true members are so indeed But wee must remember a distinction of St. Austins Lib. 4. de Baptism 9. cap. 5. multae oues foris multi lupi intus there bee many wolues in sheepes cloathing and many sheepe in wolues skinnes both in time will appeare in their proper hue and a sheepe shall be only he that is a true member I will not enter vpon the manifold analogie that is betweene a member of the Church and a sheepe I will keepe my selfe to the words that go immediately before my Text wherein they are called grex occisionis pauperes terrae they are appointed to beare the crosse that is their portion in this world and the world thinkes it cannot be better occupied than in slaughtering of them Neyther are they thus vsed only by their enemies but by their own shepheards also God complaineth hereof in this chapter as also in Ieremie 23. Ezekiel 34. the stories of the Maccabees and Iosephus confirme this truth to say nothing of the Ecclesiasticall storie of the New Testament As they are appointed to the crosse because sheepe so are they pauperes terrae poore not so much corporally though that ofâ—en followes the crosse but poore in spirit lowly in their owne eyes humble out of the conscience of their owne vnworthinesse tractable vnder â—he hand of their shepheard and pliable to his staffe such are sheep that pelong to the fold Of such sheep the Church is a flocke Solitarinesse is a note of saluageâ—esse in beasts for those that are tamed heard and flocke together It is no lesse true of rationall than irrationall sheep true sheep doe fold together and if any stray his complaint will shew his propension to the fold and if any doe stray and not complaine it is to bee doubted whether hee haue the true nature of a sheep Which they should obserue that can bee contented to liue and dye either excommunicating themselues or beeing excommunicated by the Church a shrewd argument that they are no sheepe But I must goe on As this was his Charge so Christ bestowes his furniture vpon it He fed he flocke I cannot better expound the phrase than to say he wrought the properties of the staues into the sheepe Of Iacob a good shepheard it is obserued that when hee would haue speckled sheepe hee pild certaine wannes and layd them in the watering troughes and when the sheepe â—ame to drink and were in heat before the rods they brought forth young â—f partie colours And no doubt but Christs sheepe if they be spiritually warine when they come to drinke of the water of life in Gods Church they would be altered by the Shepheards staues Certainly St. Paul saith as much of the efficacie of the Gospel We all with open face behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same image from glorie vnto glorie euen by the spirit of the Lord. There is a speciall reason why Christ is said to feed the flocke because he made himselfe food for it His flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed Iohn 6. and with what he fed with the same must we feed we must desire to know nothing amongst our people but Christ and him crucified But as we must so feede so must wee doe it discreetly and constantly the sheep are not all of one growth some must haue milke and some stronge meat Secondly we must remember that grace is like meat it must be supplyed otherwise the sheepe will starue certainly neuer come to their full growth Last of all neither must the Pastor administer nor the people expect any better patterne than that of this great Shepheard wee can haue no better furniture than the staffe of beauty and bands and the people can learne no better Lessons than Truth and Peace WHerefore let vs all pray God that we that are Pastors in our seuerall places may execute the iudgement of Truth and Peace in the gates of our Hierusalem and the People that heare vs may profit in the knowledge and in the loue of God So shall not these Staues bee wanting to vs and wee shall bee conformed vnto them and both Pastours and people shall truely and comfortably sing the three and twentieth Psalme The Lord is my Shepheard therefore doe I want nothing hee maketh vs to rest in greene Pastures and leades vs by the still Waters he restores our soules and leades vs in the path of Righteousnesse for his Names sake To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee rendred 〈◊〉 honour and glory c. Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT A VISITATION At BATHE 1 COR. 15. vers 10. By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed vpon me was not in vaine But I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with mee SAint Paul testifying to the Corinthians the Resurrection of Christ and ranging himselfe amongst the select witnesses thereof doth at verse the ninth meet with an exception that might bee taken to his former life and remoue all preiudice to his testimonie that might grow herehence For as hee doth ingenuously confesse that he was most vnworthy of his sacred calling so doth hee also thankefully acknowledge a wonderfull alteration that God had made of him And this alteration is the argument of those wordes that now I haue read vnto you Touching this Alteration the text will teach vs whence it sprang and wherein it stood It sprang from a Cause powerfull and mercifull powerfull from God mercifull for the preuailing Attribute was Grace from this gracious power or powerfull grace the Alteration sprang But wherein stood it in St. Paules Indowment and in his Employment in both we shall find somthing common to the whole Church and something proper to the Clergie The Clause that expresseth the Endowment is short and dark I am that I am you must resolue and cleare it thus I am a member of Christ that is an endowment common to the whole Church I am also a Minister of the Church that is proper to the Clergie But what I am I am by grace by the grace of Adoption I am a member of Christ and I am a Minister of the Church by the grace of edification Such was St. Paules Endowment Touching his employment the text teacheth vs two things first that he did not neglect Gods gifts as he was not emptie so hee was not idle Gods grace bestowed on him was not in vaine not the grace of
banes not of Learning only but of Religion also St. Paul is one worker but there is another also which is Gods grace God doth not endow vs and then leaue vs to our free will if hee did so our endowing grace would quickly perish or doe nothing therefore hee giues a second grace to the operant he addes a cooperant That must worke also The reason is euident whether you cast your eies vpon the common workes of pietie or else vpon the speciall workes of the Ministrie See it first in the speciall workes of Pietie If our vnderstanding and our heart be left in their pure naturals the one will neuer perceiue the other wil neuer sauour the things that are of God therefore must the one be lightned the other must bee purged by grace otherwise they will neuer comprehend their obiect they will neuer bee able to doe any supernaturall worke How much lesse will they bee able to doe it their naturals being corrupted as by sinne they are But before in the endowment we found a man indued with grace and here we finde mention made of grace againe wherefore wee must obserue that God vouchsafeth a man a double grace an habituall and an actuall a grace that giueth him abilitie and a grace that setteth his abilitie on worke Touching habituall grace that is true which St. Basil hath De Spiritu sancte c. 26. it is semper presens but not semper operans it may be in vs and yet be idle he expresseth it by a similitude of the eye sight wherewith a man may see oftner than he doth see De Natura gratia c. 26. St. Austin vseth that simile more fully to our purpose vt oculus corporis etiam plenissimè sanus nisi candore lucis adiutus non potest cernere c. as the sharpest eye-sight can discerne nothing except it haue the help of outward light no more can a man perfectly iustified liue well except he be holpen from aboue with the light of the eternall Iustice Neither is this cooperation of grace a transeunt but a permanent Act so the same Father teacheth Sicut Aer praesente lumine non factus est lucidus sed fit quia si factus esset non fieret sed etiam absente lumine lucidus maneret sic home Deo sibi praesente illuminatur absente autem continuo tenebratur Gods grace in man is like the light of the Ayre the one steeds our bodily eye so long as it is maintained by a perpetuall influence of the Sunne and the other steeds our soules so long as it is excited and helped by the holy spirit and grace will be as vnfruitfull without this helpe of the Spirit as the light of the ayre will be fading if you intercept the influence of the Sunne So that a mans soule must be like vnto the Land of Canaan vpon which the eyes of the Lord were from the beginning of the yeare to the ending to giue it the former and the later raine Deut. 11. our sufficiencie and our efficiencie must be both from God Neyther is this second grace needfull only for the work of Pietie but for the workes of the Ministrie also the Lampes that burne in the Temple must continually bee fedde with oyle St. Paul though hee calleth vs Labourers yet he calleth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is another Labourer with vs. And indeed as Moses told God If thou wilt not goe with vs send vs not hence so vncomfortable were the worke of the Ministrie were it not for Christs promise Lo I am with you vntill the worlds end if he did not hold the starres in his hand they would quickly become wandring quickly become falling stars Besides our selues therfore we must acknowledge another Worker Hauing found the two workers wee must now see what was eyther of their preheminencie First the preheminencie of St. Paul He laboured more than all the word all must be vnderstood not collectiuely but distributiuely He was not so arrogant as to equall himselfe to the whole either Church or Ministrie but to any one he might wel equall himselfe he might well affirme that not any one did equall him in labour But it is a question whom he meaneth by All whether only false Apostles or also true There is no doubt but he went beyond all the false Apostles if he went beyond the true And he went beyond the true it is euident if you consider the circuit of his trauell which is described Rom. 15. and in the Acts especially if you adde that he planted Churches wheresoeuer he came and enlarged the Kingdome of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as himselfe speaketh Adde hereunto his many Epistles sent to so many remote places and persons so profoundly opening the mysteries of saluation and resoluing the hardest knots thereof But aboue all things take notice of the two Supporters of his paines with which no man euer bore himselfe out more resolutely they are the prouerbiall Sustine Abstine How did he despise all profit all pleasure that would take no salary for his paines but laboured with his owne hands that hee might make the Gospell of Christ free that when he might lead about a Wife a Sister as Cephas and the other Apostles did made himselfe an Eunuch for the Kingdome of heauen You see what his Abstine was or despising of profit and pleasure As for his Sustine enduring of afflictions that was no lesse remarkeable reade but the eleuenth of the second to the Corinths there we finde them collected to our hands and what kinde of Affliction is there which wee doe not finde there if you reade it you will say he was a manifold Martyr I cannot dwell longer vpon this point only this I obserue though no man can suffer or abstaine more than he should or labour beyond his dutie supererrogations of any of those kindes are Popish dreames as they expound them yet may one man goe farre beyond another and some there are which are Miracula hominum they may rather be admired than imitated And such was St. Paul Neither was he such a Pastor only but such a Christian also and indeed his Sustine and Abstine must be referred to his grace of Adoption though they did attend his grace of Edification But if that will not suffice see how he did buffet his bodie and keep it vnder lest while he preached to others himselfe should become a reprobate 1 Cor. 9. when he was buffeted with the messenger of Sathan 2 Cor. 12. hee neuer left importuning Christ with his prayers till Christ answered him My grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakenesse his constant care was to keepe an inoffensiue conscience towards God and men Acts 26. But aboue all places reade and exemplifie those two memorable descriptions of a true religious heart striuing against sinne Rom. 7. and making towards heauen Phil. 3. you cannot better see his Pietie and learne to bring your owne to
rules of life of which there are two sorts As there is the Heart of a naturall and the Heart of a Christian man so these rules are either Naturall or Supernaturall The Naturall are those which are inborne and ingrauen in the hearts of all men the reliques of that Image which in the Creation wee receiued from GOD these informe the naturall man though weakely of Pietie Equitie Sobrietie and concerning all these the very Heathen haue deliuered many memorable sentences But besides these a Christian hath other rules his Heart is new written with the Spirit of GOD Cap. 31. according to the promise made in Ieremie I will put my Lawes into their inward parts and in their Hearts will I write them and wee finde the performance thereof in the New Testament preached by St. Peter Act. 2. and St. Paul Corinth 3. and to the Hebr. cap. 8. Yea euery Christian man feeleth the trueth of it in his owne soule hee feeleth those Naturall Principles rectified by Grace and much higher superadded to them so that the Christian man discernes much better then a naturall man can what is good and euill This is the furniture of the Directory power The Conscience hath besides this a Iudicatorie power and there is furniture for that also which is nothing else but a skill how to trie mens liues by those former rules and doome them as it findeth them And this skill is aswell in the Conscience of a naturall man as of a Christian man though it be of much greater perfection in the latter then in the former But wee must know that it is not the hauing but the vsing of these rules is properly meant by our Conscience For as the Schooles note well Conscientia neque potentia naturalis neque habitus it is neither a natiue nor an acquired abilitie sed est Actus Conscience is a Worke and indeed it is a worke which my Text speaketh of and whereas Conscience hath two workes the one going before our morall works the other following after though for your better vnderstanding I will touch at the former yet keeping my selfe to my Text I will insist vpon the latter These principles then whether Naturall or Supernaturall were bestowed vpon vs perpetually to assist and guide vs in our wayes One of the Heathen well resembled Conscience to a Paedagogue Epictetu◠for as the Paedagogue by the appointment of parents is alwayes at hand with a childe to direct and restraine him who otherwise through impotency of affection would goe astray euen so is our Conscience appointed ouer vs to hold the raines to guide and hold in our wilde and headstrong nature And surely wee are bound to acknowledge the mercifulnesse of GOD manifested herein hee hath graciously prouided for the preuenting of sinne who is pleased not onely to giue vs a Law but also to place in vs a perpetuall remembrance thereof vnto vs. And the reason why men sinne must needes be either because they doe not consult or doe contemne this guide so that either their sinnes are wilfull if they contemne or their ignorance is affected if they neglect this preuenting meanes afforded of GOD. But I haue not now to doe with the Consciences worke of Direction that worke of hers that goeth before our worke but I haue to doe with the worke of Iudicature the worke that followeth our workes GOD hath left it in some sort in our power whether we will or will not make vse of the former worke of Conscience and some by his grace vse it some for want of grace vse it not but GOD hath appointed Conscience a second worke which it is not in any mans power to put off the worke of Iudicature wherein GOD doeth let vs see what it is to vse or not to vse the former worke And here we must marke that as the Law which is contained in the Directory work of Conscience hath two parts a Precept and a Sanction so the Iudicatorie worke of Conscience doeth two things it playeth the Iury to arraigne vs and the Iudge to doome vs. First it testifieth whether wee haue or haue not obserued the precepts of GOD. In that respect it is resembled to a Registrie or an exact Record exhibited at an Assizes if wee doe not take notice of the counsell which our Conscience giueth vs before hand wee shall finde that our Conscience taketh notice of all that is done by vs and will make a perfect presentment thereof it will truely relate how farre we haue or haue not suffered our selues to bee led by her aduice and we shall not be able to except against the Verdict of this Iury. As it maketh a true Presentment in regard of the Precept so doeth it pronounce a iust Doome in regard of the Sanction for it pronounceth what is our due and therein wee shall finde it a Iudge not onely putting vs in minde of life and death but also sentencing vs thereunto And indeed this is the last and the highest worke of Conscience and for this cause Nazianzene doeth fitly tearme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward and vpright Tribunall But to open this Iudicatorie work of Conscience a little more fully we must obserue that she dealeth not alike with al because she findeth not all alike The Physicians acknowledge Corpus neutrum a body that is neither sicke nor whole but the Conscience doeth not acknowledge any neutrall man that is neither good nor bad Non liquets and speciall Verdicts are not knowne to the Conscience it findeth euery man either guiltie or not guiltie Secondly it confoundeth not Tares with Wheate nor Sheepe with Goates in the Presentment not in the Doome doeth it confound the right hand with the lest Hell and Heauen Death and Life It hath an accusing and excusing Voyce a condemning and an absoluing Voyce these two sorts of Voyces it hath and no more Finally we must expect no shift no delay in the worke of our Conscience whether it play the Iury or the Iudge But let vs take these workes a little a sunder And first see that which is against vs the Apostle vseth a significant word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compound word which sheweth that Conscience doeth first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know throughly before it doeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offer to condemne vs the very word importeth an orderly course of proceeding it doeth not goe against vs without a iust ground and so is free from the corruption which is in too many worldly Iudges that resolue vpon a mans execution before they haue heard his cause But our Conscience is priuie to all our doings an eye-witnesse of all that passeth from vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it knoweth and proceedeth vpon certaine knowledge Yea it will present it so to the eyes of our soule that it will not suffer vs to be ignorant of that which it knoweth it will make vs Confitentes reos we shall plead guiltie against our owne selues And here