read the ancient Fathers to prove and trie every thing and Sectaries seek novelties and admire them to hold that which is good and not to depart from the faith of the Catholicke Church For there is but one dove one spouse one body of Christ Of this sinne the Apostle giveth the Church warning saying Let us consider one another and provoke unto love Hebr. 10. 24 25. and unto good Workes not forsaking the fellowship that we have among our selves as is the manner of some It is the manner of some to turne with the spiders breath the sweet iuyce of flowers into poison to seeke knots in bulrushes to stumble at every straw that stoppeth the course of their eager spirit to breake the bonds of peace to forsake this fellowship that wee should have among ourselves and to single and sever themselves by themselves they busie their braines about Pythagoras numbers Plato's Idea and Aristotles commonwealth they see not at Damascus a strange 2 Reg. 16. 10 11 Altar with Ahaz but they strait-way get the patterne and Vrias the Priest must make them the like at home But what saith Paul concerning these Sectaries I beseech you brethren saith he marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Rom. 16 17 18. doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speeches and flattering deceive the heart of the simple The Prophet David saith Ierusalem a figure of the Church is built as a City that is at unity in it selfe and when the Holy Ghost Psal 122. 3. Act. 2. 1. Act. 4. 32. Iudg. 20. 1. came downe in visible signes upon the Apōstles They were all with one accord in one place and it is said that the whole multitude of them that beleeved in the first times had but one heart and one Soule It is said of Israel that they came together as it had beene one man with the same mind and intent not with as many opinions as persons The Iewes had but one kind of worship prescribed and 2 Chro. 30. 12. that in one only Temple And it is said of Iuda that the hand of the Lord was in Iuda so that he gave them one heart to do the commandement of the King and of the rulers according to the Word of the Lord So if we will become a spirituall building unto God if wee will receive the promise of the Holy Ghost if we will worship God in Spirit and truth if we will have the hand of the Lord upon us we must be at unity and concord with our selves we must abide with one accord and one mind in an house wee must have one heart to doe the commandement of the King and of the rulers we must not leave the Temple to follow every opinion but we must be no makers of Sects but must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace S. Peter prophesied and foretold of these Sectaries Ephes 4. 3. which privily should bring in damnable heresies even denying the 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. Lord that hath bought them and bring upon thmselves swift damnation and that many should follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth saith he shall be evill spoken of and through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make marchandize of you c. There is in a naturall body a quicking soule a radicall humour and a naturall heate and there is in the spirituall body Division sometime more dangerous than Idolatry of the Church the Holy Ghost to give life to it Faith is the radicall humour to continue it and charity as the naturall heate or vitall Spirit carried throughout the Arteries or parts of the Church For All things must be done in love Division and discord 1 Cor. 10. 14. Sects and Schismes are the cause of all evill of all mischiefe this is that Pandoras boxe that Trojane horse from whom all evill and mischiefe doe proceed Example among many other may be the Church of Corinth who beginning about matters of ceremonies and policie proceeded first to division and separation some holding of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas and some of Christ and so to false doctrine denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore by the Canon of the Apostle to be avoided and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria told Novatus that it was Euseb de vit Const 2. more grievous to breake the unity of the Church then to commit Idolatry For this saith hee was punished but with the sword but the other with the opening gulfe of the earth swallowing up the Authors and confederates thereof Et non dubitabitur sceleratius esse commissum quod gravius erat vindicatum And there is no doubt but that was more haynously committed which was more sharply and severely punished If yee have bitter Iam. 3. 14 16. envying and strife in your hearts saith the Holy Ghost reioyce not for where envying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of evill wayes There be three Furies in Hell Heresy Schisme Apostacy Saith a learned man Haeresis errorem fundamentalem in side tuetur Heresy defendeth some fundamentall error in the faith Schisma unitatem Ecclesiae ob minuta discindit Schisme cutteth in sunder the unity of the Church for small and trifling things Apostasia rectam fidem religionem penitùs abdicat Apostasie utterly rejecteth and forsaketh the right Faith Religion of God and turneth from the holy Commandements given of God For heresy is occupied about dogmaticall conclusions concerning Faith and beliefe Schisme about rites and ceremonies and other things of no moment For whosoever shall obstinately defend any perverse corrupt opinion is an Hereticke whosoever shall divide himselfe from the Church for manners and rites is a Schismaticke Againe one and the selfe-same errour in divers men hath divers names For a false opinion of God is in a Iew Infidelity in an Ethnike Paganisme in a Christian heresy in a Turke Ignorancy Heresy is only in such as are baptized even as Schisme is Finely said Bibliander that one sinne according to divers effects hath divers names For to doe any thing against the Scriptures saith hee it is sinne or rebellion rather to thinke any thing contrary to the Scriptures it is foolishnesse to contradict them is error to forsake them Apostacy Pride the cause of heresy schisme All these are pardonable if they be not wilfull we must therefore be very watchfull that Satan possesseth not our mind heart or life our mind with perverse doctrine our heart with wicked affections our life with evill manners Study therefore day and night to keep the mind in purity and in the knowledge Hemming of the trueth the heart with pious and holy cogitations and thy life with chast manners and good examples Cyprian saith Vnum tentat diabolus tentat ut
but they that have beene mockers of God and Religion most odious most severely punished yet all condemned as being persecutors carnall lose Libertines though they thinke themselves 〈◊〉 yet they 〈◊〉 the bondslaves of sinne and Satan they are onely free that are the servants of God and subdue their lusts and they have thereby assurance of their election and salvation The Contents of the thirtieth Sermon HEre he condemneth Sectaries that make a division in the Church which is one and the true members thereof preserve unity among themselves these Sectaries are dangerous as Idolaters Three sorts of them viz. Heretikes Schismatikes and Apostates who are described and condemned Pride the root of Heresie and Schisme though the Scriptures the meanes to confute them yet they pervert them to maintaine their errors That we may avoid these wee must keepe our hearts from infidelity our minds from false opinions and our conversation from scandall they are the chiefe Engines Satans vse to overthrow the Church making Sects and divisions either for matters Ecclesiasticall or Temporall These Sectaries are by Iude called naturall men that is unregenerate having no more then they drew from Adam without grace and knowledge of heavenly things yet practised many civill vertues invented Arts and in many things exceeded many that beare the names of Christians though they had but naturall illumination not the Spirit of Sanctification and so Saint Iude addeth having not the Spirit that is the Spirit of God and being without it had no spirituall grace but were led by the spirit of pride errour c. The Contents of the one and thirtieth Sermon HAving noted the opposition betweene the wicked and the godly from the conjunction discretive But that though Sectaries pull downe yet the godly must build up themselves in their holy Faith he justifieth first in the metaphor Edifie hee inferres two things first that we must be builders using the Word of God for our rule or square and confute the Papists that tooke it away secondly that we must encrease daily in knowledge grace and goodnesse and reproove our non-proficiency and shew that it is a propertie of the wicked to decrease and taxe both such as thinke they know enough and such as will not indevour to know exhorting all to use all diligence to learne and to build so as when their earthly tabernacle bee dissolved they may have assurance of a house in the Heavens he proceedeth with the Apostle to the thing wherein hee must be built and that is in their Faith and this not barely named but with a note of excellency above all vertues being called Most holy Faith He sets out the necessity of Faith in all our actions that they may bee pleasing to God and having shewed that Faith is the originall of all good workes he sheweth the end and manifold uses of them Finally that Faith is the life of the soule by it God lives in us and wee shall live eternally with him Hee proceeds to the note of excellency that is called most holy and first shewes the excellency of it above all other vertues and that holy first in regard of the subject purifying the heart and making our persons and 〈…〉 Secondly in respect of the object the holy Trinitie Thirdly in respect of the officient cause the holy Ghost and hence concluded that the Papists workes are not holy being not done in Faith and that the wicked have no Faith because no holinesse And lastly he sheweth that this holy Faith must be begotten by hearing the holy Word of God The Contents of the two and thirtieth Sermon HAving set out the relation betweene Faith and Prayer and the manifold and marveilous effects of Prayer and that it is not onely powerfull but pleasant to God and the Saints themselves he descends to divide Prayer into divers kinds in divers respects and sheweth how all must be uttered Hee proceedeth further to set out the excellency of Prayer by many resemblances and manifold effects and uses having spoken of Prayer in generall he comes to shew that it must bee in Spirit and sheweth what it is to pray in the Spirit and that hee deâ—ineth so as either the holy Ghost must be the Author of Prayer being the Author of all Graces yet so as the holy Trinity have a hand in it or secondly that our Prayers must be spirituall and zealous not carnall and with the lips hee reprove the Papists that require but an actuall intent and sheweth it is the manner not matter that God respects That wee must take heed that neither businesse nor multitude of cogitations steale away the times of prayer but that wee pray alwayes with pure zealous and faithfull hearts and then we may relye upon his promises for all good things The Contents of the three and thirtieth Sermon HAving breifly shewed the relation betwixt Faith Prayer and Love he instanceth in Love setteth out the excellency of it above all vertues bewailes the want of it and exhorts unto it yet distinguisheth and sheweth it must be the Love of God which we must keepe our selves in this he describes by foure properties that it must bee 1 Holy 2 Iust 3 True 4 Constant And condemnes the love of Atheists carnall wordly men and Papists distinguisheth the love of God into 1 His love to us 2 Our love to him His love to us though infinite yet described in divers respects 1 By comparison 2 By distinction First into his love 1 Immanent 2 Transient Secondly 1 Generall 2 Speciall Thirdly 1 Temporary 2 Sempiternall Our love to god he sheweth to be an effect of his love to us and uses foure reasons to excite us to the love of God First à mandato from the Commandement of God Secondly 〈…〉 from the Law of equity Thirdly à commodo from the manifold good that redounds to us by it Fourthly 〈…〉 from our duty he being our Father Lastly he sheweth the manner how we should performe it and taxeth our fayling in the manner The Contents of the foure and thirtieth Sermon FIrst observing how Saint Iude having give divers Precepts to the godly commforts them with the hope of eternall life he shewes this to bee the duly meanes to support the soules of the faithfull and entreth into a large learned and elegant discourse concerning eternall life and the joyes of Heaven and sets them out firtst to bee in themselves both unspeakeable and incomprehensible yet that may be guessed at by comparison with the most excellent earthly things and setteth out the glorious estate of the Saints both in body and soule and reprooves such as are so delighted with this life as they thinke not on eternall life and confutes divers erronious conceits concerning this life and againe describes it 1 By the eternity 2 Infinite extent of the place 3 The infinite kindes of pleasures Lastly having set out the glorious estate hee sheweth the meanes how wee should attaine to it and that not by our merits but Gods mercies
Sabboth the Sacrifice and after tooke them away againe yee shall understand that hee gave them as figures and shadowes and therefore no mutability in the Lord The shadow must give place to the body the figure to the truth the greene blossome to the ripe fruit the seed time to the harvest So reasoneth Paul Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabboths which are but a shadow of things to come but the bodie is in Christ The day-starre must give place to the Sunne-rising and that to the Sunne at Noone-day Chrysostome compareth Though types cease yet truth and substance remain ever the same the Iewes to a candle the Christians to the brightnesse of the Sunne The Iewes to the first draught of an Image in bare lines the Christians to the same Image filled up with all due proportion and furniture of colours the one to the seed-time Hom. 10. in Mat. Gal. 4. the other to the harvest and reaping of the Corne So Paul compareth the Iewes to a Child the Christians to a perfect man the same light though not in the same quantitie the same Image though not with like furniture the same corne though not growne to the like ripenesse the same person though not in the like perfection of age The Iewes note five things wanting in the Gospell and in the latter Temple that were in the first to disprove this that I have said First the fire that came downe from heaven to burne the Holocausts Secondly the glory of the Angells appearing among the Cherubins Thirdly the inspiration of Gods spirit speaking in the Prophets Fourthly the prefence of the Arke Lastly Vrim and Thummim But all this is nothing for there is now a fuller knowledge of God and greater liberty to the conscience yet the same faith still For the Fathers and we have all Col. 2. Ier. 23. 5. but one faith they beleeved that Christ should come according to Ieremies prophecie Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the earth We beleeve that he is come and that Christ our Passeover is sacrified for us 1 Cor. 5. 7. Esa 7. They said Virgo concipiet a maid shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne we say Virgo concepit a maide hath brought forth her Sâ—â—ne For when the dayes were accomplished that she should be delivered Luk. 2. 7. she brought forth her first begotten Sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes and laid him in a Cratch They had sacrifices that prefigured his comming we have Sacraments that represent his comming Heb. 9. and being with us they and wee had but one light they had Lucem matutinam the moning light wee Lucem meridianam the light at noone-day Wee differ but In plus minus therefore saith Christ Blessed are the eyes that see the things that yee see Mat. 10. 24. For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see the things that yee see and have not seene them and to heare those things that yee heare and have not heard them If any object that God giveth us daily new Paith new graces I answere that God giveth not a new a strange faith but addeth to our old faith to our old graces God increaseth faith and his graces in us but not a new a diverse faith like the Arrians that had Fidem annuam menstruam a yeerely and a monthly The Gospell immutable Traditions uncertain Faith For whom God loves hee loves to the end This also commendeth unto us the Gospell that whereas other Lawes and Doctrines are changed altered augmented and diminished Gods Law is not The Law of the Lord is perfect Iohn 13. 1. Psal 19. The Lawes of the Romanes written by Numa Pompilius in Gold The Lawes of the Athenians written by Draco in Bloud the Lawes of the Persians written in Brasse The Lawes of the Lacedemonians written in Milke were altered but Gods Lawes are not Quoad substantiam as concerning their substance Sed quoad maledictionem as concerning the curse 2 Cor. 3. All traditions therefore all Gospels of Thomas Nicodemus Thaddeus and the eternall Gospell invented in Saint Cyrils time by abusing the place in the Revelation which runneth thus I saw another Angel flying in the middest of Heaven having an Apoc. 14. 6. everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth c. must fall to the ground like the house built upon the sand as also all those Revelations of the Paraclete devised by Montanus together with all those that came after the giving of the Gospell which is perfect for ever and so perfect that If any man shall adde unto it God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in Apoc. 22. 18 19. the Booke and if any man shall diminish from the words of the Prophecie of Gods Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy Citie c. Let us not then adde nor diminish from the Gospell being so perfect for there is but one God one Faith one Baptisme one Christian Hope once revealed Ephes 4. for all But of the late Romish traditions which have entred long since the Gospell entred one may say to Rome as Esay said to Ierusalem Thy Gold is turned into Drosse thy Wine is mixed with Water thy Seede with Cockle thou wert sometime a faithfull Esay 1. City but now become an Harlot thou wert once the house of God but now turned into a cave of theeves Thou sayest that thou art rich and increased in wealth and standest in neede of nothing Apoc. 3. 17. but thou art poore and blind and naked as God said to the Church of Laodice poore and blind and naked indeed God give them hearts to understand and eyes to see their poverty and nakednesse But to passe with this heavenly Scripture as Moses did with the people to the land of Canaan Thirdly this Faith is given to the Saints By Saints hee meaneth the children of God truely converted not because they are perfectly holy and without sinne but in these foure respects First in respect of Separation for they they are elected and gathered out of this world and joyned to Gods people and dedicated to holy services and uses Secondly In respect of Vocation and therefore the Apostle The Saints the subiects of Faith and all Graces when hee said they were sanctified he said by explication that they were Saints by calling Thirdly In respect of Regeneration because they are now new creatures 1 Cor. 1. 2. And lastly In respect of Iustification or imputation because the holinesse and sanctity of Christ is imputed unto them For men may be Saints in this life For there are Saints in Earth as well as in Heaven
us unto an holy calling Not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us through Christ Iesus before the World was It is true of all men that Christ said of his disciples non vos me elegistis yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you yea God so preventeth us with his grace that hee findeth nothing past or to come whereby God chose us and bee reconciled unto us For who hath given unto him first that is provoked him by his good workes A lively example wee have in these two brethren Esau and Iacob both twinnes both inclosed in one wombe yet hee rejected the one and chose the other Non ex operibus not by workes but by him that calleth Deus coronat opera Rom. 9. 11. sua non merita nostra God crowneth his gifts not our merits Cui daret justus judex coronâ—â—â— nisi cui dedisset pater misericors indebitam gratiam To whom should the just Iudge give the crowne but unto whom the Father of Mercy giveth undeserved Grace And he addeth Ne dicas ideo electus sum quia credebam Aug. tract 86. in Iob. si enim credebas jam cum elegeras non ipse te sic judicium esset penos lutum non penes figulum Doe not say I am elected because I did beleeve for if thou diddest beleeve thou haddest now chosen him and not hee thee and so the Iudgement had beene in the power of the clay and not of the potter But heare what Christ saith Yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you I say therefore with Saint Ambrose Iustitia nostra magis constat remissione peccatorum quam perfectione virtutum our righteousnesse consisteth more in the remission of our sinnes than in the perfection of our vertues Even as David declareth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose Psal 32. 1 2. sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne One Father saith thus when wee were not God made us when wee were sinners hee Iustified us when we were in prison hee freed us when wee were mortall hee glorified us Another Rom. 5. 1. Luke 4. 18. Rom. 8. 30. Father saith God by his Wisedome hath foreknowne us by his Gospell hee calleth us by his Faith hee justifieth us by his Iustice hee damneth us by his Grace he saveth us So that all is of his meere goodnesse and no cause to expostulate with God His Iudgements are just but yet secret Secret things saith Deut. 29. 29. Moses belong to the Lord our God but the things revealed belong unto Five signes of Election two internall us But if the Heavens declare the glory of God let us speake to his glory Secreta Dei sunt adoranda non scrutanda Secret things are to bee adored not searched It is not good to eate too Prov. 25. 27. much Hony so to search their owne glory is not glory It is reported of Augustine that being about to write his bookes of the Trinity hee was taught by a childe who laded the Sea into a little spoone to whom Augustine said that hee laboured in vaine for his little spoone could not containe the Sea To whom the child replied that his little Wisedome his shallow braine could not containe the depth of the Trinity But you will say how shall wee know our election that wee may bee comforted against all the assaults of Satan that wee may say with the sweet singer of Israel Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill for thou art Psal 23. with mee thy rod and thy staffe shall comfort mee And with Paul I 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. 8 have fought a good fight I have kept the Faith I have finished my course from hence forward there is laid up for mee a crowne of glory which the Lord will give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto all them also that love his appearing I answere that no man can bee deceived in the state of his election but hee that deceiveth himselfe for wee may know whether wee stand in the state of Grace or no. Danaeus maketh Danaeus in Isagog five signes of election As the comming of the Swallow is a signe of the Spring as the putting forth of the figge-tree is a signe of Summer as the whitenesse of the region is a signe of Harvest So there bee many undoubted signes of our election 1 The first is the inward testimony of Gods Spirit the seale and earnest-penny of our Salvation For it is God that hath Sealed us and hath given us the Earnest of his Spirit in our 2 Cor. 1. 22. hearts The Apostle compareth the Word to a writing the Spirit to a seale that ratifieth all Clamat in nobis Abba the same Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. Luke 11. 11. Spirit beareth witnesse to our Spirit that wee are the children of God And because wee are Sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father And if God be our Father how can wee doubt of our inheritance If wee aske Fish he will not give us a Serpent If Heaven he will not give us Hell 2 The second signe is our faith which is knowne by the effects as the Eagle by her feathers as the tree of Life by the fruits of it Thus Paul bade the Corinths try their faith Prove your selves whether yee are in the Faith examine your selves c. Qui 2 Cor. 13. 5. credit salvabitur he that beleeveth shall bee saved and this faith may be knowne to us if wee will search our selves Christ asked Mar. 16. 16. Iohn 8. the woman taken in Adultery where her accusers were So aske thy heart where thy sinnes are and if thou doest beleeve it will say with the woman that they are all gone Qui enim credit transit Three externall signes of Election a morte ad vitam Hee that beleeveth in him is passed from death to life for all that are borne of God overcommeth the World And this is the victory that overcommeth the World even our Faith Iohn 3. 1 Iohn 5. 4. Hereupon Paul triumpheth over Death Hell Hunger Cold Nakednesse Perill Sword and concludeth That neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Power nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature Rom. 8. 38 39. shall bee able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 3 The third signe is the conformity of our will to Gods will to love that which God loveth and to hate that which God hateth therefore wee pray that Gods will may bee done on Earth as it is in Heaven He that doth the will of God shall abide Mat. 6. for ever
triumphing in fifty two set battells looke againe and thou shalt see him to receive fifty two wounds in the Senate and every one of them mortall Thou seest Sennacherib glorying at the gates of Ierusalem that hee would dry up the rivers with his horses feet that men should eate their ordure and 2 Reg. 19. drinke their owne pisse but looke againe and thou shalt see him slaine in the temple by his owne Sonnes Adramelech and Sharezar Looke on Manasses and thou shalt see him triumphing in 2 Chro. 33. 11. blood looke againe and thou shalt see him a poore distressed prisoner Looke on Herod and thou shalt see him in his royall Act. 12. apparell assuming to himselfe the title of a God looke againe and thou shalt see him stroken of Gods Angell and eaten up of wormes Thou seest Cardinall Woolsie with his silver pillars and pollaxes writing Ego Rex meus I and my King but looke againe and thou shalt see him dead at Leicester with stench and infamie The wicked are like the coggs of a wheele now up now downe like a Player that now playeth the King and when the play is ended he is but a begger like a counter now a pound now a penny now nothing Deus ut apis habet mel aculeum God as a Bee hath hony and a sting As he is unmeasurable in mercy so is he exceeding great in justice very ready in pardoning and very ready in punishing vengeance is his and he will reward Rom. 12. THE TWELFTH SERMON VERS V. Which beleeved not Infidelity the root of all other sinnes BVT to come unto the sinne it selfe that was their destruction that was their infidelity They beleeved not Of this the Prophet spake saying They spake against God saying Can God prepare a table in the Psal 78. 19 20 21 22. Wildernesse behold he smote the rocke that the water gushed out and the streames overflowed Can hee give bread also or prepare flesh for the people Therefore the Lord heard and was angry and the fire was kindled in Iacob and also wrath came upon Israel because they beleeved not in God nor trusted in his helpe Moses reckoneth up their infidelity in order and he saith Remember Deut. 9. 7 8. 22 23 24. and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the Wildernesse since the day that thou diddest depart out of the land of Aegypt untill yee came to this place yee have rebelled against the Lord. Also in Horeb yee provoked the Lord to anger so that the Lord was wroth with you to destroy you Also in Taberah and in Massah and in Kibroth-hattaavah yee provoked the Lord to anger likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea saying Goe up and possesse the Land that I have given you then yee rebelled against the Commandement of the Lord your God and beleeved him not nor harkened to his voyce yee have beene rebellious ever since I knew you you were never good egge nor bird first nor last The Apostle urgeth this sinne in Israel and insisteth in it above Hebr. 3 19. Cap. 4. 2. all others saying They could not enter in because of unbeleefe And againe The word that they heard did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it For hee that will heare and Infidelity reprooved as the roote of all other sinnes understand with profit must temper and mixe the word with faith that is he must beleeve it No doubt this people had many sinnes For they were a rebellious people but the capitall arch-sinne was unbeleefe the roote and well-spring of all other their sinnes Paul nameth five sinnes to have beene in Israel 1. Lusting 2. Idolatry 3. Fornication 4. Tempting of God 5. murmuring 1 Cor. 10. 6. but yet the originall of them all was unbeleefe and all these were the fruits of this corrupt tree unbeleefe So Paul ascribed all his evills to this sinne of unbeleefe I was saith he a blasphemer and 1 Tim. 1. 13. a persecutour and an oppressour but I was received into mercy for I did it ignorantly through unbeleefe Christ reproved his disciples bitterly for this sinne his words were as thunderbolts Be not saith he carefull for your lives what yee shall eate or drinke or for your bodies Mat. 6. 25. 30. what rayment yee shall put on Is not the life more worth than meate and the body more of value than rayment If God cloath the grasse of the field which is to day and to morrow is cast into the fornace shall hee not doe much more to you ô yee of little faith and againe ô fooles and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken And after his resurrection appearing unto the eleven he reproved them of their Luk. 24. 25. unbeleefe and hardnesse of heart and for this sinne he did chide Peter Wherefore doest thou doubt ô thou of little faith And for this sinne hee made Thomas ashamed saying thus unto him Put thy Mar. 16. 14. Mat. 14. 31. Iohn 20. 27. finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull And here by the way let me answer a slaunder of the Papists who raile of the Gospell and aske where bee the fruits of it as Osorius Allen Bristow As Christ said shew me the tribute mony Mat. 22. 19. Mar. 11. 1. Reg. 3. so say they shew us the fruits of their profession they call us the cursed figge-tree that had leaves but no fruit and barren Rachel which had no child and Salomons harlot with the dead child But wee answere that if there be any fault it is in our lives not in the Gospell For it worketh in them that beleeve but all beleeve 1 Thes 2. 13. not therefore all worke not whom doth the Gospell save only them that beleeve For seeing the world by wisdome knew not Ged 1 Cor. 1. 20. it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve To whom is it the power of God surely to them that beleeve The Gospell is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1. 16. Now this faith is Gods gift and cannot be commanded For though Christ had done many miracles and preached many heavenly Sermons unto the Iewes yet they beleeved not That the saying of Esayas the Prophet might be fulfilled that hee said Lord Iohn 12. 37 38 39 40. who beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Therefore could they not beleeve because Esayas saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should bee converted and I should heale them Therefore is it said that so many received the word As beleeved Faith is an anchor but God must Faith the gift of God fasten
the old world there were but eight beleevers but two Iosua and Caleb and in Christs time we read but of an hundred and twenty beleevers As Aegypt was full of lice Nilus full of Crocodyles Golgotha full of dead mens skulls so is the world full of Infidells He destroyed them that beleeved not And hence commeth it to passe that so many are damned even because they want faith Perditio tua ex te ô Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe ô Israel Ex nobis quod damnamur It is of our selves that wee bee damned blame not God but thine owne infidelity For all things Hos 13. Man 5. are possible to them that doe beleeve And therefore Hemingius in his Enchiridion distinguisheth of the word that There is Duplex verbum Damnans Salvans That there is a double word a Damning and a Saving word The damning word is the Law the saving word is the Gospell The Law offereth grace to them that doe it Yee shall keepe therefore Deut. 2. 27. Gen. 3. 5. Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 4. 9. my statutes and my iudgements which if a man doe he shall live in them But the Gospell offereth grace to the beleevers For Christ is the end of the Law unto every one that beleeve For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Faith is ever a chiefe doer in matters of salvation and therefore said Hemingius in his Enchiridion that Causa imperans salutis est pater the Iohn 3. 16. commanding cause of our salvation is God For God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne to save the world Causa obsequens est filius the obedient pliant cause is the Psal 40. 7. Sonne In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will I am content to doe it thy Law is written in my heart Causa consummans est Spiritus Sanctus the consummating cause is the holy Ghost so saith the Apostle But yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. but yee are iustified by the grace of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God The instrumentall cause is double Exhibens Recipiens Rom. 1. 18. The exhibiting Cause is the word the receiving cause Faith as therefore a Smith worketh not in cold iron so a preacher worketh not on an Infidell There is no life of God in us till we beleeve Ephes 4. 18. till then our cogitation is darkened and we are strangers from the life of God He that beleeveth in him shall not be condemned but hee that Iohn 3. 18. beleeveth not is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God A tree liveth not without moisture Without faith no accesse to God nor a bird without aire nor a fish without water nor a Salamander without fire So the soule liveth not without faith The just doth live by his faith this is the spirit and soule of the inward man we Hab. 2. have a name to live yet are we dead if we want faith I live by faith in the Sonne of God saith Paul who loved me and gave himselfe for Gal. 2. 20. me Infidels therefore are dead men What is the cause that wee profit no more by the word wee beleeve not the preacher that may bee verified of our people which God said to Ezechiel concerning the Iewes They come unto Ezech. 33. 31 32. thee saith God as people useth to come and my people sit before thee and he are thy words but they will not doe them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse and loe thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but doe them not So we come to the Sermon heare the preacher but we doe not heare him with such zeale and affection as we should wee beleeve not but abuse the word to our owne condemnation why care wee no more for heaven but are so worldly truely we beleeve not God what is the cause that wee live in sinne seeing it is damnable For the wayes of it is death wee beleeve not the Scriptures what is the Rom. 6. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 4. cause of all disorder even infidelity The God of this world hath blinded their eyes our eares are open to heare but not our hearts to beleeve Satan stealeth away the word lest we should beleeve and so be saved But let us make much of the word that wee may Mat. 13. 19. have faith to beleeve For faith nay one dramme of faith is of more worth than all the treasure in the world This that good merchant well knew that sold all to buy it For hee that beleeveth shall not be condemned for every beleevers cause is removed Mat. 13. 24. from the Court of Gods justice into the Court of Gods mercy where hee that beleeveth is not condemned Therefore our care must be with S. Paul that we may be found having the righteousnesse of Christ by faith For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 1. Iesus as all beleevers are and untill thou beest a beleever thou belongest not to God For as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount and soare to the Sunne and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones till they be blacke So God rejecteth the infidels and receiveth none till they beleeve None are the Sonnes of God but the faithfull the rest are bastards I confesse there be degrees in faith The first is a rudiment or entrance Gal. 3. Mat. 12. 20. Rom. 14. 1. Hebr. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 18. which Christ calleth Smoking flaxe The second is a weake faith Him that is weake in faith saith Paul receive unto you The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assurance of Faith Such a faith was in Abraham who above hope beleeved under hope But no faith is abominable and may easily be discerned from a weake faith As a sicke man is knowne from a dead man So a weake faith from no faith Even a desire of Faith is a token of faith For Gods spirit worketh God giues grace according to the measure of Faith that but no faith is accursed For he that beleeveth not is còndemned already There be degrees in faith three examples we have The first of the Ruler of the Synagogue who beleeved that his daughter should revive if Christ would but touch her But the Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 4. woman with the bloody issue beleeved that she should be whole if she touched but the hemme of his vesture But the Centurion beleeved that his servant should doe well if Christ spake but the Luk. 8. Mat. 8. word here is Gradus positivus the positive degree the
comparative and the superlative and all good Accedens ad flumen tantum haurit quantum urna capere potest A man comming unto the river or fountaine he draweth as much as his vessell will hold the defect or want is not in the flood or fountaine but in the vessell so draw from Christ from his word and Sacraments as Rebecca out of the well of Iacob there is no defect in Christ or in the word and Sacraments but in the vessell the heart that doth not beleeve Accede aegrotus sanaberis debilis confortaberis famelicus satiaberis Come thou sicke man and thou shalt bee healed Esa 55. thou weake one and thou shalt be strengthened thou hungry one and thou shalt be satisfyed But come Non pedibus corporis sed cordis not with the feet of thy body but of thy heart Non ambulando sed credendo not in walking but in beleeving Faith is Illuminatio mentis the light of the minde Infidells are blind and shall not see heaven they are filii irae children of Luk 15. Act. 15. wrath and they that beleeve not cannot be saved Faith is Gods gate whereby God enters into our soule the light that found the lost groate the purifier of our heart the conqueror in the race the pole-starre for the sayler the life of the soule and by Faith Christ dwells in our hearts O help us Lord wee beleeve ô help our unbeleefe he must beleeve that comes to God and as is our faith so is our blessing faith is the victory that overcometh the world O Lord increase our faith The second example used for Confirmation of his former proposition That we must strive for faith is taken from Gods vengeance upon the Angels who because they kept not their estate but left their habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines of darkenesse to the Iudgement of the great day So that here in these Angels Observe First Their sinne Secondly Their punishment Thy sinne of these Angels I will not precisely discusse their sinne like Adams sinne was not alone but many First there was pride in them as it appeareth by Pauls words to Timothie where handling the office of a Minister among other 2 Tim. 3. 6. things he would not have him to bee a young scholler Lest hee being puffed up fall into the condemnation of the Divell that is lest being proud of his degree hee bee likewise condemned as the Divell was for lifting up himselfe by pride so that it is manifest What was the Angels sinne that pride was the sinne of the Angels But besides pride there were many other sinnes in them as Infidelity Ingratitude Envy and Rebellion Denique quid non to conclude what not not one vice but many even a troope an armie of sinnes For sinnes are like Pismires in a moll-hill like Bees in an hive like Motes in the Sunne there are many ever together not one sinne alone they grow like clusters of grapes sinne is like the linke of a chaine take hold of one linke and draw the whole chaine so take hold of one sinne and draw a number Other things concerning Angels as their names their number their orders I dare not define 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us bee Rom. 12. 3. Iob 4. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Psal 78. 49. Iohn 8. 44. Wisd 2. 24. wise unto sobriety Iob nameth folly or pravity in the Angels as if that were their sinne Paul nameth pride Peter onely calleth it their sinne Asaph calleth them evill but noteth not the kindes of of their evill what the evill or sinne was which they committed Christ nameth murther to be their sinne and saith That the Divell was a murtherer from the beginning The Wise man nameth envie Iude here nameth Apostasie but the time the manner and the circumstance of their fall is not plainely expressed in the Scripture and in that they are not it teacheth us Sapere ad sabrietatem not to presume to understand above that which is meete to understand but Rom. 12. 3. Pro. 25. 27. Ro. 11. 33. Col. 1. 18. that we understand according to sobriety Too much honie is not good who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Many are puffed up with a fleshly minde as though with Moses God had revealed to them the Creation of the world as though with Stephen they had seene Gen. 1. Act. 6. 2 Cor. 12. Apoc. 1. Ezra 4. the heavens open as though with Paul they had beene lifted up to the third Paradise as if the Angell had talked with them as he did with Iohn in Pathmos and with Ezras in Ierusalem Such are Holcot Briccot Dionysius Areopagita whom they call Aquilam seu volucrem Coeli the Eagle or bird of heaven and make nine orders of Angels but no man hath so tasted Ionathans honie combe but he may see and oversee many things in this and in all other questions If any man aske what Angels be I say that they be spirits of essence but having neither body nor soule For they differ from bodies in that they have no flesh from soules in perspicuity understanding what the soule cannot Indeed they sometimes take bodies unto them as the Angell that appeared to Abraham Mat. 22. 30. Gen. 18. Iudg. 13. Mat. 26. to Manoahs wife to Marie So that in respect of their essence they are called spirits and as the Apostle speaketh Ministring spirits but in respect of their office they are called Angels Wherupon David He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Angell is a name of office not of nature Some make them of a fiery nature as Hemingius in his Enchiridion I see no soundnesse in it For sometime they have their denomination from heat as the Seraphins sometime for knowledge and brightnesse The Apostacy of the Angels irrecoverable as the Cherubins sometime they have appeared in a firy nature so they appeared to Elisha and his servant for the mountaine was full of Chariots and horses of fire that is Angels to defend them from the Syrians And so againe while Elias and Elisha Esay 6. 2 Reg. 6. 17. 2 Reg. 2. 11. Psal 114. went walking and talking together Behold there appeared a Chariot of fire and horses of fire and did separate them twaine And David saith He maketh his spirits his Messengers and a flaming fire his Ministers And as they have appeared in these formes so have they appeared in other formes also as pleaseth the Creator but to leave this The sinne of Angels is notorious and their punishment is as famous they are falne from light to darkenesse from Heaven to hell from felicity to misery Valerian fell from a golden chaire to a cage of iron Dionysius fell from a King to a Schoolemaster Alexander the third fell from being Pope to be a Gardener in Venice Nabuchadnezzar fell from a man to a beast but the celestiall Dan. 4. spirits
have done vertuously but thou Pro. 31. 29. surmountest them all As Christ commended Iohn Baptist above all Nazarites saying There is no greater Prophet than Iohn among them Luk. 7. 28. that are begotten of women And the Lord Moses above all Prophets So Iude commendeth Faith above al vertues All precious stones Deut. 34. are good yet none like the Topaze all flowres are faire yet none Iob 28. like the Lily most trees bring fruit but none like the Apple-tree Faith purifies our hearts and makes our actions and persons holy of Persia or the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and gave fruit every moneth Many vertues are excellent and further our salvation yet none like faith Iustice giveth every man his owne temperancy restraineth lusts fortitude beareth Apoc. 22. 2. 1 Iohn 5. 4. all labour and toile prudence guideth our actions but faith overcommeth the world so doe not other vertues faith is like the three 2 Sam. 23. worthies of David who brake thorow the whole host and drew water of the Well of Bethlem Ionathan and his armour-bearer 1 Sam. 19. slew twenty men Shamgar with an Oxe goade slew six hundred Iudg. 3. 31. Iudg. 15. Philistines Samson with the jaw-bone of an Asse slew a thousand men thus these men brake thorow an whole host and faith overcommeth the whole world In this faith Paul insulted over heaven and earth men and Angels I am perswaded saith Paul that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor Rom. 8. 38. things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And againe he saith I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keep that which I have committed unto him meaning himselfe against that day It is called Holy yea most Holy for all our works are polluted and receive their holinesse from faith and faith from Christ who is the object of it As the Sunne giveth light to all Planets as salt seasoneth all meates so Faith seasoneth all works for in themselves they are polluted For who can say I have made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne For as the holy man of god saith Hee found no stedfastnesse Pro. 20. 9. Iob 4. 18 19. in his servants and laid folly upon his Angels how much more in them that dwell in houses of Clay whose foundation is the dust which shall bee destroyed before the moth And againe he maketh this demand and saith What is man that he should be cleane And hee that is borne of a Woman that hee should be just Wee are all as a menstruous cloth Cap. 15. 14. as an uncleane thing we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the wind haue taken us away only Faith purifieth our hearts To come neerer fidem sanctissimam vocat ratione objecti hee Act. 15. 9. calleth it most holy Faith by reason of the object Deum enim trinum unum respicit it respecteth three and one three in Persons one in Essence Morall vertues they are occupied about humane objects and things created as liberality about giving of good things temperance about meate drinke fleshly lusts leachery c. Fortitude in suffring adversity therefore they cannot be called most holy vertues Againe it is called most holy Faith in respect of the efficient cause thereof that is to say the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost bestoweth upon us all good things love joy peace long 1 Cor. 12 Gal. 5. 22. suffering gentlenesse goodnesse Faith meeknesse temperance all these and all the rest are the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Now because the Authour is holy his Works his gifts and graces bee holy Nil nisi sanctum à sancto spiritu prodire potest If no holines no Faith Nothing can come from the holy Spirit but that which is holy Aug. Learne here to judge of the works of the elder World their almes their prayer their love what love could there be without faith and what faith could there bee among them without the doctrine of God Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But did they fast often Wee seldome or never Did they Rom. 10. 14. give almes and doe we live unto our selves are our right hands dryed up with Ieroboams Did they pray in the night wee scarce in the day Did they love one another agree together and doe wee sue and sting one another like the Serpents of Sinai O brethren they shall rise in judgement against us as Christ said of the Ninivites Except our righteousnesse our prayers our love exceed theirs wee shall not enter into Heaven our faith is Mat. 11. not most holy no nor holy nay no faith at all And by the way note that hee calleth faith holy not unholy unjust unchaste drunken faith such as the world braggeth of in these dayes the dead faith that Saint Iames inveigheth against so earnestly All lewd men boast of faith but I will say to them as Iames said O stende mihi fidem per opera Shew me thy faith by thy workes shew mee it by thy zeale thy piety thy truth thy chastity thy mercy with our faith let us joyne vertue The Israelites cryed Templum Domini templum Domini the Temple of 2 Pet. 1. 5. the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Pharisees cryed The Baptisme of Iohn the Baptisme of Iohn the Iewes cried We have Abraham to our Father the Scribes cried We have Moses to our Doctor the Ephesians cryed Great is Diana of the Ephesians but Ieremy bade the Israelites amend their wayes and their works Ier. 7. 4. Iohn bade the Pharisees bring forth fruits of Repentance Christ bade the Iewes doe the Workes of Abraham He told the Scribes Luk. 3. 8. Iohn 8. Iohn 5. Ephes 4. 20. that Moses would condemne them and Paul told the Ephesians that they had not so learned Christ and so say we to these men that boast of faith I will reason with them as Ieremy did with the people Will yee steale murder and commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7. 9 10. and burne incense unto Baal and walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my Name is called even so will we sweare lye raile slander and say that we beleeve Was Gods house a denne for theeves is faith become a cloake for theeves whoremongers lyers swearers usurers Idolaters blasphemers drunkards pot-companions c I say of this faith as Saint Iames said of Wisedome This wisedome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish so Iam. 3. 5. this faith is not from above but is earthly sensuall and divelish For faith sheweth it selfe in good workes and can no more be separated from it
than light can bee from the Sunne or heat from the fire or moisture from water Lastly note that hee saith that this faith is edified and increased If wee had never such measure of faith yet wee must heare dayly by hearing there understood not expressed of Saint Iude for the Word is the foundation Paul in naming the Christian armour coupleth Faith and the Word together Above all take the shield of faith whereby yee may quench the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of Salvation and the swrd of the Ephes 2. 20. Ephes 6. 17 18. Rom. 10. 14. Spirit which is the Word of God Fides ex auditu Faith commeth by hearing As possible for a man to see without eyes or a tree to grow without moysture or a bird to live without meate or a house to stand without a foundation as Faith to bee without the Word Esay cryeth out Heare and your soules shall live Ita Esay 55. 3. Ephes 4. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 21. didicistis Christum Have yee so learned Christ saith the Apostle It pleaseth God through the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve Wee thinke that wee are wise enough that the Preacher can tell us nothing that wee know not and this is the cause of all contempt but if thy knowledge were as great as Salomons to 1 Reg. 4. 29 30 32 33. whom God gave Wisedome and Vnderstanding exceeding much and a large heart even as the sand which is by the sea shoare and Salomons Wisedome excelled the Wisedome of all the children of the East and all the Wisedome of Aegypt and Salomon spake three thousand Proverbs and his Songs were one thousand and five and he spake of trees from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssope that groweth out of the wall hee spake also of Beasts and of Fowles and of creeping things and of Fishes I say were thy wisedome as much as Salomons yet must it be holpen with doctrine wee must still be remembred of that which wee know and still know more Yea the Preacher though he be learned teacheth himselfe as well as thee and his owne faith as well thine and speaketh to his owne heart as well as to others such a secret power hath God put into his Word and such is his Ordinance Hee hath given some to be Apostles and some Ephes 4. 11. Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers By these are the Saints gathered thus is Christs body edified thus are the godly repaired thus wee meet in unity of faith Paul bidding the Gaoler beleeve preached unto him the Word Never Act. 16. 31. thinke to goe to Heaven without faith or to have faith without preaching I speake of ordinary faith For God can worke miraculously as in children and deafe men as in Medaelde mentioned by Danaeus and in captives A man may live without meate but all the world cannot assure thee of it thou maist have faith by miracle but neither men nor Angels can assure thee of it where meanes are wee must use meanes Wilt thou fast forty dayes because Moses and Elias did so or goe thorow the red Sea because the Israelites did so Or goe into an hot Exod. 32. Exod. 14. oven because the three children did so Thou mayst perhaps starve then or bee drowned or burned Where God giveth meanes hee giveth no miracles So long as Israel was in the desart God gave Manna but when they came into Canaan where God works not by miracle when hee affords means they might plowe and sow Manna ceased the Starre appeared to the Wisemen in the way but in Ierusalem it vanished for there they might inquire Let us therefore use the meanes and seeing the means of the edifying and increasing of our most holy Exod. 16. Iosh 5. faith is doctrine let us attend unto it even so long as God shall give us a body as an house hands as keepers legs as strong men Eccles 12. eyes as windowes eares as doores and an heart as a Treasure-house THE TWO AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XX. Praying in the Holy Ghost Faith and Prayer inseparable FRom faith hee commeth to prayer for increase of faith and all graces must bee had by prayer where by the way note that the originall of faith is immediatly from God it is his worke so saith our Saviour This Iohn 6. 25. is the worke of God that yee beleeve in him whom he hath sent And for this cause the Apostle calleth Christ Iesus The Author and finisher of our Luk. 17. 5. faith But the increase of faith is by prayer prayer mediate from God by faith is the gift of God and prayer is ever a companion nay the daughter of faith faith the mother and it the daughter for how can wee pray without faith How shall they call upon him in Rom. 10. 14. whom they have not beleeved A question grew betweene Musculus Bullinger and other Churches of Mensbelgarde Num fides sit à Deo petenda Whether faith is to bee begged of God Calvin being to decide the question said that Musculus and Bullinger spake duriusculè somewhat hard Nam nulla oratio nisi fide fundata probatur God alloweth of no prayer except it bee founded on faith For whatsoever is not of Rom. 14. 29. faith is sinne Faith is the mother of prayer and the mother goes before the daughter Augustine proveth that Cornelius beleeved because his Prayer the conduit whereby all good things are conveyed to us prayers were heard Infideli dat Deus fidem at non per orationem sed immediatè God giveth the Infidell faith not by prayer but immediatly A strong faith begetteth many prayers a weake faith weake and few prayers No faith no prayer Paul coupleth them together Act. 10. Aug. Ephes 6. 16 18. as an armour of proofe Above all take the shield of Faith and by and by in the next subsequent verse save one and pray alway with all manner of supplication in the Spirit c. Faith begetteth prayer and prayer increaseth faith For as fire kindleth the wood and the same wood increaseth the flame so faith begetteth prayer Rejoice evermore saith the Apostle and pray continually 1 Thess 5. 16 17. Faith worketh joy for being justified by faith we have peace with God and yet the same joy is augmented by prayer Rom. 5. 1. But now more generally to handle this doctrine because increase of faith and all graces must bee had by prayer for by that hand God reacheth them and in that conduit hee conveigheth them unto us therefore Saint Iude saith Orate per Spiritum Aske seeke knocke and promiseth us that wee shall have find and Mat. 7. 7. that it shall be opened unto us Wee have not because wee aske not Iam. 4. Salomon nameth prayer as the Indian stone that remedieth all diseases For marke his prayer which he powred forth to God in the
with a true Heb. 10. 22. heart in assurance being sprinkled in our heatts from an evil conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water All living creatures have their nourishment every one in their kinde some live of the Earth as Molles other some of the Water as Fishes some of the Ayre as the Camelion some of the fire as the Salamander other creatures more noble than they live by meat as the naturall man but others more noble than he as the Angels by meditations contemplations The Soule therefore being a spirituall substance as the Angels is nourished and fed with the same meate that they bee Here is the difference their vision of God is Col. 3. 3. Ephes 4. 18. cleere and manifest ours obscure and darke their life perfect ours imperfect their life is a life of glory ours is called the life of grace As the sea followeth the moving of the Moone for as shee increaseth that waxeth so the perfection of a Christian life dependeth on prayer as our prayers increase so doth our perfection in Christianity increase also For seeing the heart is the beginning of life and of workes Et quale cor talia opera and as our heart is such be our workes if the heart therefore be devout and well ordered our workes will bee devout and good also if otherwise our workes will be vile and naught For unto Tit. 1. 15. the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mindes and consciences are defiled To conclude it is no little proofe of the vertue of prayer to behold the two principall glories and testimonies which the Father gave to Christ Iesus in prayer for in his transfiguration while hee prayed His face did shine as the Sun and his cloathes were as Mat. 17. 2. white as the light and in his Baptisme while he praied The Heavens were opened unto him the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted Mat. 3. 15. upon him This should incourage us to pray and to pray alwayes to pray and to pray continually even every moment as the least occasion is offered prayer should bee the key to open the day and the locke to shut in the night when wee rise in the morning we should pray with Abrahams servant and say O Lord God Gen. 14. 12. I beseech thee send me good speede this day when we lay us down at night to pray with the sweet Singer of Israel Lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death and whatsoever wee take in hand Psal 13. 3. either by day or night to prevent it with the blessing of the Psalme Prosper the worke of our hands O prosper thou our handy worke Egredientes de hospitio armet oratio regredientibus de platea occurrat Psal Ier. Ep. intercessio when thou goest out of the house let prayer arme thee Prayer the means whereby wee receive all good things when thou returnest into thy house let prayer meete with thee prayer is vinculum invincibile wouldest thou binde the Almighty that he may not hurt thee Prayer is the band by which hee is tyed and wouldest thou untie him to doe thee good Prayer must doe it Prayer is Clavis Scripturae it is our Oedipus to resolve our doubts it is our Commentary to understand Gods Word Oratio est Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum oranti subsidium Prayer is a sacrifice to God a scourge to the Divell and a helpe to our Aug. selves in all our troubles And againe Orationis purae magna est virtus velut fidelis nuntius mandatum peragit penetrat quò caro non pervenit Great is the power of pure prayer for it is a faithfull Aug. in Psal 36. messenger shee delivers her errand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this was it which made Bernard to say Nemo nostrûm parvipendeat orationem suam dico enim vobis quodipse ad quem oramus non parvipendet eam postquam egressa est ab ore nostrùm ipse scribit eam in libro suo unum in duobus indubitanter sperare possumus quoniam aut dabit quod petimus aut quod novit utilius Let none of us lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom we pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to bee better for us Call upon mee and I will heare thee saith God Aske and you shall have saith Christ Before they cry I will heare them saith Iehovah The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him saith David O then let us call and cry unto him by earnest and hearty prayer night and day but let us pray in knowledge with understanding in faith by beleeving in remorse with seeking in zeale without cooling in attention without wandering in reverence without contemning in constancy without revolting and in love without revenging Let our eyes bee fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened and our hands lifted up as to the King of Kings and as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not God goe till wee be heard Finely said one Orat misericordia non orat miseria orat innocentia non orat nequitia orat judex desiderat parcere non orat reus ut indulgentiam mereatur accipere Doth mercy pray and shall not miserie piety intreate and shall not iniquity the Physician request and shall not the sicke the rich begge and not the poore the innocent pray and not the guilty the just and he that never sinned fall downe and the sinnefull sinner stand upright the Sonne of righteousnesse bee humbled and the sonne of wickednesse waxe proud shall the judge intreate and desire to pardon and the traytor not begge to bee forgiven Is not Christi actio Christiani institutio Christs practice our president But hee prayes and shall not wee pray Wee must pray for our bodies that they may be preserved for our soules The Holy Ghost the Author of prayer that they may bee saved for our estates that they may bee maintained for our thoughts that they may bee sanctified for our words that they may bee seasoned for our actions that they may bee ordered by Gods Spirit But Saint Iude doth not onely exhort to prayer but also sheweth how wee must pray In the Spirit the which words may be understood two manner of wayes either of the Author of prayer or of the Manner of praying If we understand it of the Author the sense is good for Gods Spirit causeth prayer and every good worke For wee know not how to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for us Rom. 8. 26 27. with sighs that cannot bee expressed for hee that searcheth the
must bee unto us dearer than thousands of silver and gold more precious than the gold of Ophir sweeter than the Honey or the Hony-combe For albeit God can onely by the inward motion of his blessed Spirit worke out make-sure and perfect our salvation yet it pleaseth him in his eternall wisedome to use the word as an ordinary meanes of our vocation and salvation As then God giveth learning by study wisedome by experience riches by travell and like things by like meanes so he maketh perfect the calling of his Saints by the preaching of the Word which Rom. 1. 16. is the power of God to salvation to every man that beleeveth The second title of honour given here to the Saints is Sanctification he calleth them sanctified of God the Father this is the next grace wherewith he adorneth them For God continueth his graces as Iacob continued his wrastling as Peter continued his knocking till they let him in and God will not leave calling and working till hee hath sanctified and perfected his graces like the Sunne that never leaveth shining but commeth Psal 19. Exod. 17. forth as a Bridegroome out of his Chamber and rejoyceth as a Giant to runne his course Like the Fountaine of Elim and waters of Shilo that never leave running The calling of God is without repentance Rom. 11. 29. For God is not a man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of man Numb 23. 19. that he should repent as Balaam though a false Prophet said most truely Whom God calleth them he justifieth whom hee justifieth he sanctifieth and whom he sanctifieth he glorifieth The learned call this Text in Rom. 8. Auream catenam a golden Rom. 8. 29 30. Chaine hee that draweth one linke draweth all the Chaine For as hee that hath one damnable sinne hath all sinne and is guilty of all so hee that hath one grace effectually hath all God perfects his Workes God is not like a stepmother that putteth out her child to nurse he is not as the Partridge or Bird that forsaketh her nests nor Ier. 1. 17. Iob 29. 1 Reg. 3. like the Ostrich that leaveth her egs in the dust like Salomons Harlot that exposed her child to the sword But he is as the Eagle that carrieth her yong in her wings till they can flie as the Pelicane that feedeth her yong ones with her heart-bloud till they can feed themselves He blesseth us untill he hath brought us into his Kingdome of blisse where wee shall never hunger nor thirst any more For Hee will destroy Death for ever and the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebuke of his Esa 25. 8 9. people will hee take away out of all the Earth for the Lord hath spoken it and in that day men shal say Loe this is our God We have waited for him and hee will save us this is the Lord wee have waited for him we will rejoyce and bee joyfull in his Salvation So the Lord Iesus hath perfected the worke of our Redemption hee was borne for us he lived hee died he rose againe he ascended hee maketh intercession for us and hee will glorifie us so saith our Saviour Father I will that they which thou hast given me bee with mee even where I am that they may behold my glory that is that they may enjoy the Iohn 17. 24. eternall glory with mee This is a Doctrine of singular comfort like the wine and oyle that revived the wounded man like the news of Iosephs honour Luke 10. Gen. 45. 28. Luke 2. that comforted old Iacob like the song of the heavenly souldiers that rejoyced the Sheepheards like Davids Harpe to drive away Sauls melancholy Hath God begun with thee hath he called thee hast thou felt the motions of his Spirit in thy heart Noli timere bee not afraid hee will end with thee and accomplish all his graces in thee I meane not in perfection Nam sanctitas tribus gradibus perficitur Holinesse consisteth in three degrees In this life while we are regenerate by water and the holy Spirit after this life while the Soule enjoyeth the presence of God after the day of Iudgement when in Soule and body wee shall bee united to our head Christ Iesus In this life there is a threefold Sanctification 1 Imputed unto us 2 Wrought in us 3 Wrought by us Imputed Sanctification is when God imputeth unto us the sanctification of Christ Who is made to us Wisedome Righteousnes 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification and Redemption By this wee are said to bee sanctified when the vertue of Christs Passion the fruit of his Death the power of his Resurrection is applied unto us and Christs Sanctification made ours by imputation Therefore the Apostle saith That Iesus Christ to the end that hee may sanctifie his people with his owne bloud suffered without the gate Heb. 13. 12. Sanctification wrought within us is the inward change of a man iustified whereby the image of God is restored in him a Protestants Religion teach Sanctity change not a non esse ad esse from a not being to a being for the faculties of the soule were before not ab esse ad non esse from a being to a not being for the faculties of the soule remaine still but ab esse ad esse from an ill being to a good being not abolishing the will minde and affections but rectifying and renuing them a change of a man iustified for we are iustified before we are sanctified Iustification is actus individuus Sanctification is actus dividuus we are iustified at once we are sanctified by degrees wee are iustified when our sinnes are not imputed unto us we are sanctified when a cleane heart is created and a right spirit renued in us Sanctification wrought by us is that whereby wee sanctifie and make holy the outward works and actions of our life This the Lord requireth Be ye holy for I am holy To this Saint Paul Levit. 11. 44. exhorteth let us cleanse our selves from all silthinesse of the flesh and 2 Cor. 7. 1. of the spirit and grow up to full holinesse in the feare of God The righteousnesse of Justification is by faith without works the righousnesse of Sanctification is by workes and by faith justifying righteousnesse is perfect but not inherent sanctifying righteousnesse is imperfect but inherent glorifying righteousnesse is perfect and inherent neverthelesse we must confesse that all our sanctification is from God Here the slander of the Papists is answered for Justification for whom God calleth he justifieth and whom hee iustifieth he sanctifieth We preach not an idle faith as they say opening windowes and doores to all wickednesse by a Solifidian error and an imputative Iustice A late Papist in his Treatise of the Eucharist saith We preach liberty we hinder good workes we teach a naked faith No no wee teach sanctity holinesse more than they who with Alexander the third
of the World to them all Venite benedicti come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome Mat. 25. 34. prepared for you and therefore as the Hart desireth the water-brookes so long their Soules after God their Soules after God yea after the living God and they cry day and night Come Lord Jesus come quickely Thou which art our Lord by right of creation by right of redemption by right of gubernation Apoc. 22. by right of preservation Come come away quickely and crown us with glory receive us into thy kingdome where is Gaudium sine fine sine metu finis Ioy without end without feare of end Thus much of the Persons saluted their vocation sanctification and reservation to Iesus Christ THE FOVRTH SERMON VERS II. Mercie unto you and Peace and Love c. Mercy Peace and Love from Father Sonne holy Ghost I Am now come to the Salutation wherein the Apostle wisheth and prayeth for three things 1 Mercy 2 Peace 3 Love Three things more excellent than Mat. 2. the three gifts which the Wisemen bestowed on Christ Gold Frankincense 2 Sam. 23. and Myrrh three things more puissant to overthrow the Divell than the three mighty men that were in the hoast of Israel to overthrow the Philistines and to fetch water out of the well of Bethelem that David longed for three things more comely than the three things that Salomon commended that is a Lion Prov. 30. among beasts a Gray-hound and a Goat Mercy which is the first thing here wished for is ascribed to God the Creator Peace which is the second to Christ the 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes 2. 14. Rom. 5. 5. Reconciler Love which is the third to the holy Ghost the Comforter For God hee is called The Father of Mercies Christ is called Our Peace and the holy Ghost Love The Apostle therefore in saying Mercy Peace and Love be multiplied is as if he should have said The God of Mercy forgive you your sinnes the God of Peace give you Peace that passeth all understanding and the God of Love grant that your Love may abound more and more that yee may bee rooted and grounded in Love And yet all this proceedeth from one and the same person Generall and speciall Mercies of God for albeit Mercy be ascribed to the Father Peace to the Sonne and Love to the holy Ghost Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the holy Ghost yet all these create redeeme and sanctifie For wee worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity wee confound neither the persons nor yet their worke Mercie be unto you Mercy in God is not passive but active Non quoad affectum sed quoad effectum No suffering with us in our wants but succouring us in them Mercy is here taken for grace and the meere favour of God The Apostle therefore in wishing Mercy Peace and Love to the Saints teacheth us Quales esse debent Christianorum salutationes nos literis nostris epistolis honorem opulentiam salutem longam vitam amicis optamus Iudas verò misericordiam pacem charitatem dona coelestia his tribus Ecclesia opus est aliter actum esset And first hee beginneth with Mercie For instead of Grace used by the Apostle Paul in sundry of his Epistles Iude heere nameth Mercy which is all one Mercy and Grace is that whereby all good is conveyed to us therefore an excellent blessing to bee prayed for and this Grace and Mercy of God is fourefold 1 Generall 2 Speciall 3 Temporall 4 Eternall The generall Grace and Mercy of God are those graces and mercies that hee bestoweth upon all men Hence is it that hee causeth the Sun to shine upon good and bad and his Raine to fall upon the just and unjust For there bee some good things which God giveth indifferently both to the good bad as Riches Honour Strength Beautie Health c. And there be some good things which God giveth onely to the good and not to the wicked as saving Faith saving Grace a new Heart a right Spirit peace of Conscience joy in the holy Ghost eternall Life And there are some evill things whereof the good taste as well as the bad as Sickenesse Sorrow Weakenesse of body Imprisonment Famine Sword losse of Friends c. And there are some evill things which God layeth upon the wicked and not upon the good as intolerable horror of conscience desperation Psal 104. 17 18. damnation c. This generall Grace and Mercy of God is over all his cratures the Fowles of the Aire the Fishes in the Psal 145. 9. Sea the beasts of the Fields His Mercie is over all his Workes His speciall Mercy is that whereby hee succoureth his elect This was the Mercy of God that preserved Lot from the burning of Sodome Daniel from the devouring jawes of the hungrie Gen. 19. Lions David from the cruelty of Saul and the Israelites Dan. 6. from the firy Furnace This is that Grace and Mercy which the child of God above all things desireth Lord lift thou up Psal 4. the light of thy countenance upon us His temporall Mercie is that whereby hee spareth sinners and standeth at their doores expecting and waiting their conversion Temporall and eternall Mercies Hereupon one descanteth very finely saying When vaine pleasure biddeth us to sell God and be gone his Mercy and Grace will not so part with us when we are lost in our selves his Mercy and Grace findeth us out when wee lye long in our sinnes his Mercy and Grace raiseth us up when wee come unto him his Mercy and Grace receiveth us when wee come not his Mercy and Grace draweth us when we repent his Mercy and Grace pardoneth us when wee repent not his Mercy and Grace waiteth our repentance The eternall Mercy and Grace of God is that which concerneth our everlasting Salvation this is that Mercy and Grace principally wished for By Grace wee are saved through Faith not of Ephes 2. our selves for it is the gift of God This word Mercy or Grace teacheth us to looke up unto God not unto our selves if wee looke to bee saved wee choose not the Lord but he us Vt salus esset penes figulum non penes lutum Aug. Paul ascriberh all to Grace and Mercy By the Grace of God saith hee I am that I am and his Grace which is in me was not in vaine and thus he taught the Romanes At this present there is a remnant through the election of Grace and if it bee of Grace it is no more of Workes or Rom. 11. 5 6. else Grace were no more Grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more Grace or else were worke no more worke an invincible Argument Peter letteth the Iewes see Terminum a quo terminum ad quem pervenerunt their state under the Law and under Grace Hee hath called you saith
Naboth wold not deliver up the vineyard of his fathers he must not deliver up the vineyard of the Lord. 1 Reg. 21. Here note three things 1 That Faith is a gift 2 That it is once given 3 That it is given unto the Saints And first that faith is a gift it is evident by the Apostles owne words where he calleth Christ The author and finisher of our faith as the Athenians were called Inventrices perfectrices omnium doctrinarum the inventers and perfecters of all good learning The Hebr. 12. 2. Romanes had their learning from the Grecians the Grecians from the Aegyptians and the Aegyptians from the Chaldees and they from Adam Seth Noah the old Patriarchs but the Church 1 Cor. 2. 22. Act. 7. 222. hath all her learning religion faith from God he gave it at the first and he confirmed it at the least He gave some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastours and teachers for gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification Faith diversly taken of the body of Christ till wee meete together in the unitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God c. Luke having spoken of Stephens faith noteth the cause of it that is that Stephen was full of the Spirit Ephes 4. 11. Act. 7. 55. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 3. 3. For God worketh it by his Spirit All good workes are the fruits of the Spirit therefore faith The fruits of the spirit are love ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith c. and it is reckoned up among the gifts of the spirit To another is given faith saith the Apostle by the same spirit But faith is in the Scriptures diversly taken sometimes it is given to God and it signifieth his faithfulnesse in his promises In this sense the Apostle useth the word saying Shall their unbeleefe make the faith of God of none effect when it is given to man it is taken seven manner of wayes First it is taken for Fidelity as it is a vertue in the second Mat. 23. 23. table So Christ useth the word where speaking to the Pharisees he saith Yee tythe Mint Anise and Commin and leave the weightie matters of the Law as iudgement and mercie and faith Secondly It is taken for the doctrine of faith and Christian Religion so it is said Many were added unto the faith that is to Act. 6. 7. Christian Religion And againe God opened the doore of faith unto the Gentiles that is of Religion Act. 14. 27. Thirdly It is taken for profession of religion thus Elimas is Act. 13. 8. charged To turne the Deputie from the Faith that is to make no more profession of Religion Fourthly It is taken for Christ himselfe by a Metonymie who is both the object and cause of faith So the Apostle useth the word saying But after that faith is come wee are no longer under a Gal. 325. schoole-master Fifthly It is taken for knowledge only and thus the Divels are said to beleeve Sixthly It is taken for the gift of working miracles If I had 1 Cor. 13. 2. all faith so that I could move mountaines c. Lastly It is taken for that grace by which felicity and the chiefe good is applied and thus it is taken in my Text. And this the Apostle Paul cals the faith of Gods elect For none but the elect have it al the elect have it at one time or another and once had it can never be finally and totally lost but it continueth with them till they come to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living then they shall have no more need of it It is therfore called Saving faith because it brings us to salvation Ephes 2. 8. And Iustifying faith because it is that meanes or instrument which Gods spirit worketh in us whereby wee apply unto our selves Christ Iesus in and by whom wee are iustified And Sanctifying faith because by it God purifieth our hearts This saving iustifying sanctifying faith is Gods gift for hee is the Authour of this faith From whom every good gift and every perfect gift commeth And that which is said of Lydia is true The meanes to beget faith of all the faithfull That the Lord opened the heart of Lydia so that shee beleeved And Christ saith This is the worke of God that yee beleeve not the worke of the Father alone or of the Sonne alone Iam. 1. 17. Iohn 6. 29. or of the Holy Ghost alone but of the whole Trinity For this is one of the workes of God which are said to bee Ad extra and therefore attributed to all the three persons To the first where Christ saith No man can come unto me that is beleeve except the Iohn 6. 44. Father draw him to the second where the Apostle calleth Iesus The author and finisher of our faith to the third where the Apostle reckoneth faith amongst the fruits of the spirit And the onely Hebr. 12. 2. thing that moved God to worke this precious gift in us is his meere good will So saith our Saviour It is so Father because thy good pleasure was such And the end at which he aymed in working Mat. 11. 26. this grace is first the setting forth of his owne glory secondly the salvation of mankinde and therefore S. Peter calleth salvation The end of our Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. This doctrine serveth to humble us to let us see that it is not in our power that faith is not hereditary God beginneth it and increaseth it and finisheth it The Apostles prayed Lord increase Luk. 17. our faith The meanes to get this â—aith is double Outward Inward The outward meane is the word hereupon saith the Apostle How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10. 14. Rom. 10. 8. and thereupon thus concludeth faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and hereupon it is called The Word of faith And Paul saith of the Ephesians that they beleeved After they Ephes 1. 13. heard the Gospell And finely saith Chrysostome Accenditur fidei lampas igne divini verbi the lampe of our faith is lighted by the fire of the divine word And this faith is wrought in us both by reading and preaching of the word and both are commended and ordeined of God and first for reading God himselfe commandeth it and by reading S. Augustine was converted for he confesseth Deut. 3. 1. 9. of himselfe that being inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle lege take up and read meaning the booke of God which he presently did and so by reading was converted for surely the reading of the word is a meanes appointed of God to the begetting of faith and raising up the Kingdome of God in the hearts of men And to
with an high hand an hard heart and a whorish forehead such are idolaters blasphemers drunkards usurers adulterers robbers which say yet once more will I doe this or that sinne once more will I dallie one cup more will I have for God say they is patient and long suffering thus sin toucheth sinne but God will whet his sword and bend his bow and Psal 7. 11 12. then yee know what followes the blacke arrowes and instruments of death Paul sheweth a better end of grace than wantonnesse hee saith The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared Tit. 2. 11 12. and teacheth us to deny impietie and wicked worldly desires and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world The goodnesse of God leadeth us to repentance honor health wealth long Rom. 2. 4. life taketh thee by the hand and leadeth thee to repentance as the Angell led Ezechiel into the Sanctuarie Noli peccare spe nam Bern. paenam dabis re sinne not in hope for thou shalt smart for it indeed It is as great a sinne to presume of grace and mercy as to despaire of grace and mercie for they that despaire may be raised up but such as presume are seldome saved He that heareth Deut. 29. 19. 20 21. the Words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke in the stubbornesse of my heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not be mercifull unto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Therefore Paul in all his writings when he handleth the doctrine of grace and mercie he handleth it very warily as a man handleth gunpowder or quicke-silver lest they should turne it into wantonnesse As 1 Tim. 4. 10. We trust in the living God which is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rom. 8. 1. especially of those that beleeve And Rom. 8. 1. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Cerist Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And 1 Pet. 2. 9. Yee are a chosen generation Gal. 5. 24. a royall priesthood an holy nation that yee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marveilous light God is a Saviour of all that is of all beleevers there is no condemnation so that we walke in the spirit we are Christs if we crucifie the flesh a royall priesthood if we shew forth the vertues of him that hath made us Kings and Priests Other wisdome hath no portion of the Spirit of God we have neither part nor fellowship in Iesus Christ Sumus in felle nequitiae wee are in gall of bitternesse Let us not then turne the grace of God into wantonnesse as Gods benefits and bounty oft make licentious and impious many do for the better God dealeth with them the worse they deale with him turning grace into wantonnesse and Christian libertie into carnall licentiousnesse not regarding the Apostles Counsell Brethren yee have beene called into libertie only use not your libertie as an occasion unto the flesh but by Love serve yee one another Gal. 5. 13. If God give us an inch wee take an ell and abuse his goodnesse God dealeth with us as a nurse doth with her Child he nourisheth and bringeth us up but wee deale with him as the Asses foale with her damme when she hath sucked her damme shee kicketh with her heele as the swallow doth with men she harboureth with us all summer and in winter departeth and leaveth nothing but dirt behind her Thus Moses complained of Israel Doe yee so reward the Lord O yee folish people and unwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and proportioned thee So Deut. 32. 6. Esau complaineth of Iuda I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me The oxe knoweth his owner and the Esa 1. 3. Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath no understanding Ieremie reneweth the same complaint a little before the captivity They said not where is the Lord that brought us out of the land of Aegpyt that ledus thorough the wildernesse thorough a desart Ier. 2. 6. a wast land thorough a dry land and by the shadow of death by a land that no man passed thorough and where no man dwelt and againe O generation take heed to the word of the Lord have I beene as a wildernesse unto Israel or a land of darkenesse wherefore saith my people then wee are Lords we will come no more unto thee Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number The matter is more fully handled by Ezechiel Ieremie his mate and companion both before and in the captivity saying Thou hast not remembred the dayes of thy youth when thou wast naked and bare and wast polluted in thy blood Thus all the Prophets Ezech. 16. 22. with open mouth crie out against iniquitie The richer wee are the vainer wee are the higher wee are the prouder wee are the stronger wee are the crueller and the more quarrellous wee are the yonger the lascivier the more healthfull the more sinnefull and carelesse wee wound God with his owne weapon For hee that should have beene upright when hee waxed fat spurned with the Deut. 32. 15. heele thou are fat thou are grosse thou art laden with fat therefore hee forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his salvation We abuse every blessing of God wee are like Aesops snake that lay still in the frost but stung him that warmed her in his bosome so long as God keepeth us sicke and lame and poore we are in some order our eares are full of Sermons our lips full of prayers our hands full of almes our hearts full of holy meditations For when the outward man perisheth the inward man is renewed daily but if we come to health and wealth and strength we rage 2 Cor. 4. 16. like Giants we are like bad ground which the more sweet dewes it receiveth the more weeds it bringeth out And therefore wee Gods patience makes us presumptuous are neere unto cursing whose end is to be burned If God give some libertie and remission wee stretch it too farre if hee permit hawking and hunting we spend most of our dayes in it wee make an Hebr. 6. 8. occupation of play Because God permitteth us to eate and drinke and weare apparell wee eate till wee surfet and drinke till wee be drunken and attire our selves like peacocks like Geta the Emperor that was served
that we could learne to abhorre pride Pride hath been in all places in all sorts even in the godly and swelling by considering how much the Lord abhorreth it as many Scriptures shew Salomon saith that The feare of the Lord is to hate evill as Pride and arrogancie c. And againe hee saith All that are proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord. And Prov. 8. 13. Cap. 16. 5. 19. againe he saith He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction And againe the Holy Ghost affirmeth that the Lord beholdeth every one that is proud and abaseth him For certainely when the Lord shall Iob 40. 6. come to judgement that day of his comming shall burne like an Oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall bee as stubble and Mal. 4. 1. the day that commeth shall burne them up and shall leave them neither root nor branch therefore let us not be high-minded proud and swelling as many are for it is a thing most vaine 1 Tim. 64. First in respect of God for he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble he putteth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth Luke 1. 51. the humble and meeke Secondly in respect of men who will not regard it When pride commeth saith the Wise man then commeth shame for when men Prov. 11. â— will be exalted above their vocation then God bringeth them to confusion Thirdly in respect of themselves who inherit nothing by it but folly for The foolish that is the proud inherit folly yet Cap. 14. 18. this sin of Pride hath troubled all places yea the whole world it troubled Paradise for Adam was proud and would be like unto Gen. 3. Aug. God Sed dum rapere voluit Divinitatem amisit foelicitatem but whilest he endeavoured to snatch the Divinity he lost his felicity It troubled the Israeliticall Church they would be as good as Moses in the Kingdome and as Aaron in the Priest-hood it troubled the Apostles for they strove for superiority yea it Numb 16. Mat. 18. 2. Pet. 2. 4. troubled heaven it selfe for pride was the sinne of the Angels Let all men therefore beware of this sinne for first it is naturall for every one hath some sparkes of pride in him Againe whereas all other sinnes are occupied about evill subjects or about indifferent things as drunkennesse about wine whoredome about women covetousnesse about wealth gluttony about meat only pride is to be feared in well doing and therfore the better that a man doth the more jelous let him be of himselfe to look to himselfe that this sinne of pride overtake him not for what hast thou that thou hast not received Nay Paul beganne to be proud through the abundance of his revelations but lest he should be exalted above 1 Cor. 4. 7. measure there was given unto him a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him because he should not be exalted above measure Augustine 2 Cor. 12. 7. having overcome many sinnes yet overcame not the sinne of pride it did dog him like a blood-hound Luther strove more with this sinne than any sinne doe what hee could like a sea it came upon him This stained all the workes of the Pharisees they fasted but then they disfigured their faces they prayed Mat. 6. but it was in the Market-place they gave almes but yet they Pride expressed many wayes in things that pertaine to God and man blew the trumpet Habet quisque naevos superbiae every man hath staines and markes of pride in him secundum plus aut minus either more or lesse the most godly have it but some are all pride as Erasmus said of the Fryer that hee was all belly Generally pride is expressed either in things concerning God Ierome or in things appertaining to men In the things that concerne God there is the pride of the Atheist whereby he striveth to remove the sense of the being of God and the pride of the heretike when he assaults the attributes of God or his persons and the pride of the Papist who will scale the high Fort of heaven by the broken ladder of his owne merits and the pride of the curious who will search into things not revealed and the pride of the persecutor who will pursue by slaunders or violence the power of Gods ordinances and the pride of the impenitent who dare live and dye in his sinnes without care of Gods threatnings Againe pride is expressed against God as first when a man imagineth himselfe to be God and would bee so conceited of men as Caligula who being an open mocker of all religion at length fell to thinke that there was no other God but himselfe Secondly when men imagine that what they have they have it of themselves and so sacrifice to their nets as the Prophet speaketh Thirdly when in their hearts they say He shall not raigne over us Who shall controle us and so contemne the ordinances of God his Word his Sacraments their worke their power Fourthly when a man shall thinke he is perfect and breakes not the Law and that they can by their owne strength runne the way of Gods Commandements Psal 119. Fifthly when in heart they say We will do this and this who shall let us we will go thither and thither who shall hinder us Sixthly when men will disobey the will of God breake his yoke and burst his bonds asunder Thus is pride against God shewed manywayes Pride against man discovereth it selfe sundry wayes also As by oppugning the fame of the best men By bragging and boasting By striving for offices and highest places By costly apparell of purpose to be counted better men then they be By painting of the face to be thought a beautifull creature not being so By envying the good of another as if he deemed himselfe either only worthy or else the most worthy The proud man will acknowledge no superiour nor equall by his good will hee useth his equals as inferiours his inferiours as servants his servants as slaves his slaves as beasts and when he is climed up on high he pluckes up the ladder Vsually the basest are proudest after him if he can that no man shall come up after or but such as he pleaseth Thus pride is expressed both to God and man David was farre from this pride Lord saith he I am not Psal 113. 1. high-minded I have no proud lookes I do not exercise my selfe in matters that are too high for me c. But few are like David many men forget themselves to be men they take to them the name of God Act. 12. Esa 14. 13. as Herod did they will make their nests in the starres as Nabuchadnezer did The Bactrians said of Alexander that his pride was such that if his body had been answerable to his heart he would set one foot on the land and the other on the sea For
1 Sam. 4. 11. Ier. 7. 9 10 11 12. walke after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say We are delivered though we have done all these abominations Is this house become a denne of theeves wherupon my name is called before your eyes Behold even I see it saith the Lord. But goe yee now unto my place which is in Shilo where I set my name at the beginning and behold what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel Thus for hypocrisie was Shilo destroyed they halted with God Dicunt sed non faciunt they said but they did not He is not a Iew that is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one within and Rom. 2. 28 29. the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So we are Protestants in the Letter not in the Spirit professors outward none inward Christians in the 1 Pet. 3. 21. flesh none in the heart baptized in the body not in the conscience It is said of Epicurus that he did put on but the bare name of Cicero 5. Tuscul a Philosopher was not a Philosopher in truth It may as truly be spoken that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians and are not Christians indeed and that many colour their wickednesse by outward pretence of Religion and by bearing Bibles in their hands and the Word in their mouth though it be never settled in their hearts being like the Carbuncle that hath a fiery shew yet never flames like those that use muske and pommanders to conceale their unsavory and stinking breath But such God hateth with a dooble hatred and will be revenged of them It were better that we had no eares to heare Hypocrisie the counterfeit of religion nor tongues in our head to talke of God rather then by talking and hearing to cover our notorious wickednesse For we shall perish and we shall have neither part nor fellowship in the number of the faithfull God above all things commended sincerity in Iehosaphat Act. 8. 21. 2 Chro. 19. 3. For he had prepared his heart to seeke God hee had some sap but hee had the heart of an Oke also and was sincere so was Eleazar hee 2 Mac. 6. 23. could not be drawne to play the hypocrite by no flatteries nor allurements no not to save his life thereby and to avoid most grievous torments And Nazianzen could say of his Father that he chastised pride and loved humility not fainedly or colourably but sincerely truly and that he reposed humility in his soule and not in his garments or bowing downe of his head or low speech or a thicke and long beard or coloured haire or grave pace in going For these things saith he are easely devised yet quickly reproved for no counterfeit thing can be durable Such men there were once but where are they now to be found and how rare are they Most men are like the Church of Sardis they have a name to live and yet are dead they seeme to live but with God they are dead their faith is dead their zeale dead men live when they bring forth fruite else they be dead Tullies sonne brought from Atheus not only nomen but rem not the name of learning only but learning it selfe So wee should bring and carry away from Christ not his name only but his vertues and so be followers of God as deare Children otherwise if we be Christians Ephes 5. 1. in name and not in truth if we draw neere unto God with our mouthes and have our hearts farre from him we shall perish for Can a rush grow without mire or can grasse grow without water so are Iob. 8. 11 13 14. the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence shall be cut off and his trust shall be as in the house of a spider And againe it is said of the hypocrite that his ioy is but a moment and though his excellency mount up to Heaven and his head reach unto Cap. 20. 5 6. the clouds yet shall he perish for ever like his dung c. Let us then as we love our soules shunne hypocrisie and use sincerity this shall comfort us at the last as it did Ezechias for being upon his death-bed this was his comfort that he had served God not in shew but Esa 38. 3 in truth but we are cloven-footed cloven-hearted with God In animis hominum multae sunt latebrae multique recessus In mens hearts there be many dennes and lurking places and many windings turnings But let me say to the hypocrite as Chrysostome said Hypocrita aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Hypocrite eyther be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art for simulata sanctitas est Aug. duplexiniquitas counterfeite piety is double impiety First because it is impiety and then because it is counterfeite making truth falshood and God a lier But as it is said Non auditores sed factores legis Not the hearers but the doers of the Law shal be iustified so of religion Non eandem profitentes sed eidem obedientes Rom. 2. not professors but performers shall bee glorified Let us not Sincerity is by God required hypocrisie reproved then bee like the Figge tree which our Saviour cursed that had leaves in abundance but no fruit at all For it is not the lifting up of our eyes or the knocking of our brests nor the holding up of our hands which shall stand us in stead at the last day but Mat. 21. the wounded soule the sincerity of the heart the contrite spirit joyned with outward observance and obedience which shall administer true joy in the latter end Therefore let us as elect of God holy beloved let us I say professe with our mouthes and practise with our lives let us sing in voyce with the spirit also let us repent in life and sow in teares let us cleanse the flesh that wee may bee mortified and cleanse our spirit so shall wee be glorified let us never be as cloudes without water as trees without fruit as the raging waves of the sea as starres without light I meane hypocrites For hypocrites are as clouds without water as trees without fruit as starres without light Thus Iude painteth them out and that finely and so doth our Saviour for speaking of hypocrites he saith They binde heavie burdens and grievous to bee borne but they themselves will Mat. 23. not move them with one of their fingers and hee saith that They doe all their workes to bee seene of men that they straine at a gnat and swallow downe a Cammell that they tithe Mint Annise and Cummin but leave the weightier matters
Love of God is shedde abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us The spies of Canaan said that it was nothing to overcome it and the godly Numb 13. say it is nothing to walke in the wayes of God to doe the precepts of God to read to pray to meditate to fast is nothing For saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the help of Phil. 4. 13. Christ which strengtheneth me As for a naturall man all good things are grievous unto him it is death to him to fast to pray to heare read meditate c. as they of Israel said When will the Amos 8. 5. new moneth be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate So say a number of naturall men When shall these prayers cease and the Sermon bee at an end that wee may goe about our businesse For indeed they sit in the Church as Ioseph in the Iayle they thinke every minute a moneth till they be gone All sinnes are pleasant to a naturall man to hunt to hawke to eate to drinke to sweare to whore to lye to revenge to follow his pleasures whereof wee have two notable examples the one in Cyprian who confesseth what he was by nature the other in Augustine who telleth Alipius how hardly his naturall sinnes left him how they cried unto him Dimittésne nos nunc What wilt thou leave us now Et non erimus tecum vltra in aeternum None boast more of the Spirit then they that are led by the spirit of errour And shall wee not bee with thee any more for ever What uncleannesse and what dishonesty did they put into my minde Avertat Dominus has sordes ab animo meo the Lord turne these filthy thoughts out of my mind saith hee clamavit Vsquequo Domine usque quo â—rasceris How long Lord how long wilt thou bee angry in finem for ever Quamdiu cras cras cras How long to morrow to morrow Why not now doest thou not put an end unto my turpitude And being converted by Gods Spirit infinite thankes hee gave unto God saying Dirupisti vincula mea Domine Thou hast burst my bands in sunder ô Lord to thee will I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise my heart shall praise thee my tongue shall blesse thee and all my bones shall say Who is like unto thee Praise the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise Psal 103. 1 2 3. his holy name praise the Lord ô my soule forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thy sinne and healeth all thy infirmities which saveth thy soule from death and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnesse Sometime God leaveth us to meere nature sometime hee sustaineth us with his grace which is as the Sunne-beames quando adest Sol omnia illustrat cùm removetur omnia sunt tenebrae when the Sunne is present it lighteneth every thing but when it is removed there is nothing but darkenesse So God sometime removeth the beames of his grace which when hee doth there is nothing in us but darkenesse his grace is sufficient for us Nature is not sufficient for us but grace For that is the fountaine from 2 Cor. 12. 9. whence flow all blessings Lastly he saith of these men that they have not the Spirit yet none will boast more of the Spirit then they so did the Gnosticks so did the Montanists as Montanus who carried his two trulles with him Prisca and Maximilla so did the Manichaeans so did Mahomet who teaching a Dove to picke corne at his eare called it the Holy Ghost and being subject to the falling sicknesse called it a traunce wherein hee had conference with the Angell Gabriel and so did the late Libertines of whom Iude here seemeth to prophesy that is Coppinus in Flanders Quintinus and Claudius Persenallus and Pocquius in France and some few others who of late have troubled a great part of Christendome Quintinus being an hostler Anthonius Pocquius a Chamberlain the other two being utterly unlearned led foure thousand men at the first into this errour so strong are the delusions of Satan to them that love not the truth of God that they might bee saved So unconstant 2 Thes 2. 9. are the multitude that whereas they should not bee as children wavering and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the Ephes 4. 14. deceit of men yet are they wavering and are of as many religions as the Raine-bow is of colours The Apostles privative precept can take no place with them Bee not carried away with diverse and strange doctrines for it is a good thing that the heart be stablished Hebr. 13. 9. shed with grace and not with meates c. These late Libertines Loose Libertines count all sins lawfull tooke away all difference of good and evill they gave the bridle-reine loose to all licentiousnesse prophesied of by Saint Peter They speake high and swelling words of vanity 2 Pet. 2. 19. and their words are delivered in a strange manner as the Henry Nicolitans to astonish the simple put two beginnings God and the world if any bee of their Sect they say that hee was made God and all wickednesse they did ascribe to God under the name of vocation or calling they did cover all impiety they justified theeves murderers adulterers and all licentious livers for say they it is their calling and let every man abide in the same vocation wherein hee is called Thus doe they wrest and pervert Scripture to their destruction they alledge further 1 Cor. 7. 20. Omnia munda mundis esse That all things are cleane to the Tit. 1. 15. cleane when as Paul speaketh there de adiaphoris of things indifferent not of sinnes to these things they further faine and affirme that Regeneration is a restitution of that innocency which was in Adam and they interprete the state of innocency to bee this not to bee able to discerne betweene white and blacke good and evill and they say that they are continually guided and governed by the Spirit besides they reject all Scripture For the letter killeth c. But these men bee either fanatici mad and beside themselves which 2 Cor. 3. move such foolish questions and genealogies or else they are prophane which having cast off the yoke of Christ waxe wanton But to leave these men they have not the Spirit Note here the Antithesis betweene naturall and spirituall men these two are opposite where by the way note how fondly the Papists speake in calling their Cleargie spirituall and the people temporall whereas these two are not opposite but spirituall and carnall or naturall so the Apostle distinguisheth them Naturall and Spirituall The Naturall man perceiveth not the things of God but 1 Cor. 2. 14. the Spirituall discerneth all things and fondly doe they call their Priests spirituall as though the people
will be tristitia pudor confusion and punishment but the other thinkes of nothing but his present joy merriment Let others therefore live as they list we must edifie our selves and build up our selves in our most holy Faith let other serve Mammon or Bacchus or Venus wee must serve none of them but the Lord Iesus But of this I have spoken before in the seventeenth Verse But yee beloved edifie your selves This word edifie signifieth to build the metaphor is taken from Carpenters from builders who by little little reare up their worke until it come to a certain height and perfection this metaphor is not improperly applied to the Saints for building edification is proper to houses Now the Church and Saints of God are as houses therfore may be said to bee builded and edified Saint Peter calleth the Saints an house saying The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God And againe And yee as lively stones are 1 Pet. 4. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 5. made a spirituall house So spake Paul Now therefore yee are no more strangers and forreners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold Ephes 2. 19 20. of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone And againe writing to the Hebrewes he saith Christ is as the Sonne over his own Hebr. 3. 6 house whose house wee are For in obeying the Sonne wee are made the house of God But most plainely in his Epistle unto the the Saints at Corinth Yee are Gods husbandry and Gods building 1 Cor. 3. 9. This teacheth us two things first that all Christians should bee edifiers builders that is should make themselves a seemely house for God to dwell in Wee read what care David had to build a Temple but God would not suffer him but now every man must build a Temple for God even his own soule We read The Word of God must be the square wherewith we must build what cost Salomon bestowed upon the Temple but now God careth not for such Temples made of stone he will have a Temple made of lively stones For howsoever Heaven is his seate and the Earth his foot-stole yet his most principall princely palace of 1 Chro. 17. 1 4. 1 Pet. 2. 5. pleasure is mans heart hereupon saith a father Quà m excelsus es Domine humiles corde sunt domus tuae O how high how Soveraigne art thou O Lord yet the humble-hearted are the houses wherein thou dwellest For as the Lord loved the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob so hee loveth a faithfull heart a devout soule more than all the pavillions of Princes All true Christians must bee builders therefore saith Paul Let all bee to edification 1. Cor. 14. 27. but before they build they 1 Cor. 14 27. must know how to build and the way to come to this knowledge is the Scripture No Carpenter will build an house without rule and square and the rule and square of Christian building is the Word of God by it our hearts and soules are squared and made fit for Gods house and therefore Saint Paul taking his leave of the Church of Ephesus commendeth them to God and to the Act. 20. 32. Word of his grace which is able to build further and to give them an inheritance with all them that are sanctified Where withall saith David Psal 1 19. shall a young man cleanse his way Even by ruling himselfe after thy Word Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child his grandmother 2 Tim. 3. 15. Lois and his mother Eunica taught him them Without the knowledge of the Scripture wee can no more edifie and build than a Carpenter can build without tooles or a Mariner saile without his compasse or a bird flye without his feathers it is the Word of God that is able to make the man of God perfect it is that that will make him become a fit house and Temple for the Lord Of this building Saint Peter speaketh thus Yee are come to the Lord Iesus as a living stone reiected of men but precious and chosen of God wherefore you your selves bee built as lively 1 Pet. 2. 4. stones a spirituall house And Saint Paul Let all things be done to edification 1 Cor. 14. 27. that is Let this be the end of all thy workes the building of Gods spirituall Temple bee more carefull to build it than Salomon was for his Temple If Salomons workemen were one moneth in Libanus about the worke of the Temple and 1 Reg. 5. 14. two moneths at home about their owne businesse Let us exceed them let us imploy two moneths about the Lords building and but one about our owne businesse Let us first seeke the Kingdome of God for as Elias said unto the widow of Sarepta Bake me a cake Mat. 6. 33. 1 Reg. 17. 13. first and after provide for thee and thine so saith Almighty God to us Build me an house first and after for thee and thine And as wee must edifie and build houses for ourselves so for our brethren also so saith the Apostle Exhort one another and edifie one another but especially wee must edifie our children a 1 Thess 5. 11. sonne in Hebrew is called Ben that is a building because the father should especially build his sonne in Religion and Vertue Parents must edifâ—e their children by godly instâ—uction Nature teacheth all men this the Savage Beare fashioneth her whelpes being deformed with her tongue so should all Christians with gentle admonitions frame the deformed manners of their children That commandement which injoyneth fathers to teach their children what the Passe-over meant teacheth them Deut. 6. 10. this building and all Parents if they will have their Children lead a pure life if they will have them strong in the Lord and through the power of his might if they will have them to overcome the Divell if they will have them true Saints Sonnes of Abraham they must edifie them with instruction and see that the Word of God dwell plentifully in them in all Wisedome Papists were great builders they built Churches Religious houses as Col. 3. 16. Abbeyes Nunneries c. but they left the principall worke undone they did not build themselves by the Word of God in their most holy faith neither would they suffer others to build but their guides and leaders tooke away from the people the levell and square of the Word without which men cannot build but God bee blessed the Word is restored wee have the levell to build by let us not bee idle but build up an holy house for God that hee may dwell with us and that wee may dwell with him hereafter for ever Secondly this teacheth us that it is not ynough to begin to build in faith and good workes but wee must goe on goe forward
worth and wheresoever love is it draweth all things unto it And surely if I might have my wish and desire as Salomon had it should be this that Saint Iude here exhorteth unto 1 Reg. 3. namely so to love that wee may keepe our selves in the Love of God evermore that if any of us Christians be at any time asked what wee worship wee may answere with Gregory Nazianzen Charitatem veneramur wee worship charity Wee had need cry out and write no longer against false Catholikes sola fides faith only but against false Protestants Sola charitas Love only for malice and mischiefe aboundeth and Love abateth Let faith only justifie and Love only rectifie David compareth Love to the Oyntment on Aarons head and unto the dew of Hermon I can coÌ„pare it to the Oyle in the cruze Psal 133. 2. 1 Reg. 17. to the meale in the barrell that wasted not and unto the apple-tree of Persia which buddeth blossometh and beareth fruit every moneth Now abideth faith hope and love but the chiefe of these is love It lasteth longer like a pillar of Salt it reacheth 1 Cor. 13. further it profiteth more among men faith flyeth up to Heaven Charity is occupied here below on Earth Faith wrastleth above with the promises of God Love is busied in good works as Faith is with God Paul prayeth that Love may abound more and more and this hee doth in respect of the scantinesse and excellencie Charitas laudatur alget Iniquitie aboundeth Charitie Mat. 24. 12. waxeth cold This is the Iron age that Paul prophesied of Know saith Paul that in the last dayes shall come perilous times for men shall bee lovers of their owne selves covetous proud boasters 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3. 4. cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankifull unholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traytours heady-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Inveniètue Christus fidem Shall Christ Luk. 18. 8. Gal. 5. 6. when he commeth finde Faith upon the Earth But Love followeth Faith therfore shall he find any Love at his comming Surely but a little England is as the land of Canaan we have corne and cattell we have fish and flesh cloth and wooll our vallies stand thicke with corne that maketh us to laugh and sing God Psal 65. 11. crowneth the yeere with his goodnesse and the clouds drop fatnesse they drop upon the pastures of the wildernesse and the hils are compassed with gladnesse Our sonnes grow up as the young plants our daughters are as the polished corners of the Temple Psal 144. 12 13 14. our Garners are full abounding with store our Sheep bring forth thousands and tenne thousands in our streets our Oxen are strong to labour there is no invasion nor going out nor crying in our streetes The Mountaines drop Wine and wee wash our paths in butter We have plenty Ioel 3. 28. Iob 29. Iudg. 5. 1 Sam. 13. 1 Reg. 8. of all things but of Love As in the dayes of Debora there was neither speare nor shield as in the dayes of Saul there was no Smith in Israel as in the dayes of Salomon there was no Manna to bee found and as in Gilboa there is no Raine in Gilead Few united in Love no Balme in Bashan no flowers in Sichem no Corne being sowne with salt in Tyrus no Ships in Cimmeria no Light Ier. 8. Iudg. 9. 45. Ezech. 28. so in England no Love or but a little If there be an hundred men in one towne scarce two love together and agree together as they should wherein they bee worse then Divels for seven of them could agree in Marie Magdaiene a legion in another man that is twelve thousand five hundred Divels or as other Mat. 26. affirme sixe thousand seven hundred twenty two Divels for so Varro and Vegetius affirme that a legion containeth so many but scarce seven men of seven score love as brethren and so keepe themselves in the love of God We are now divided into three companies like Labans sheep some white some blacke some speckled some Protestants some Papists some Newters Nay even among Protestants there is little love and lesse agreement but God I hope will make us friends in Heaven where all injuries shall bee forgotten Where are these noble paire of lovers become David and Ionathan who had but one soule Eusebius and Pamphilus martyr 1 Sam. 18. who had but one name Pilades and Orestes who had but one life the one being dead the other died also Ruth and Naomi who could not bee parted but where the one would goe the other Ruth 1. would goe where the one would dwell the other would dwell where the one would dye the other would dye and where one would be buried the other would be buried also Basil and Nazianzene of whom it is said that anima una erat inclusa in duobus corporibus that there was one soule shut in two bodies Marriage maketh two bodies one so saith our Saviour For this Mat. 19. 5. cause a man shall leave Father and Mother and cleave unto his wife and they twaine shall bee one but love maketh two soules one yea many bodies many soules but one If an hundred men love together there is but one heart as in the Acts The multitude of them 1 Sam 18. 1. Act. 4. 32. that beleeved were of one heart and of one soule of one minde will and consent If a man hath an hundred friends that man is become as an hundred men Nam amicus est alter idem a friend is another the same Charitas est res augmentativa Charitie is an Chrysost increasing thing There was a day when Herod and Pilat were made friends but that day I feare with many of us will never be if any are implacable like the stone Arbestos which being once kindled is never quenched once angred never pleased A signe of a reprobate mind for Paul describing the reprobates saith that they are full of unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse Rom. 1. 29 30. covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envie of murther of debate of deceit taking all things in the evill part whisperers backe-biters haters of God doers of wrong c. The Romanes were wont to say of the men of the Primitive Church Ecce ut invicem se diligunt See how they love one another They knew Christians by that badge as Christ said By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples indeed The love of God above all love if yee love one another as I have loved you But wee may say quoth a moderne Father Ecce ut invicem se oderunt Behold how they hate one another oppresse one another It was wont to be said Iohn 13. Zaâ—che Homo homini Deus One man is a God to another but now homo homini Leo one man is a Lion to
6. 13. their love is nothing else but a mony love Come with us say they we will lay wait for bloud and lye privily for the innocent without a Prov. 1. 11 12 13 14. cause Wee will swallow them up alive like the grave even whole as those that goe downe into the pit wee shall find all precious riches and fill our houses with spoile cast in thy lot amongst us wee will have all one purse Atheists love their brethren as Flies love the pot as Dionysius loved his bottles so long as there is any meate in the pot the Flie loves and Dionysius loved his bottles when they were full but hurled them away when they were empty so wee play with our friends Iob said when I washed my pathes with butter when the rocke Iob 29. 6 8. powred mee out rivers of oyle the yong men saw mee and hid themselves and the aged arose and stood up but now they that are yonger than I mocke Iob 30. 1. mee yea and they whose Fathers I have refused to set with the dogges of my flockes But let us no longer love from the teeth outward but from the heart inward we speake faire as Cain did to Abel wee give good words as Iacobs Sonnes did to the Sichemites we salute Gen. 4. Gen. 35. men as Ioab did Abner we shead Crocodiles teares as Ismael did to Godoliah wee kisse one another with Iudas but with no true 2 Sam. 3. Ier. 41. Mat. 26. love all is but Court-holy water This made David to complaine saying Surely mine enemy did not defame me for I could have borne it neither did my adversary exalt himselfe against me for I would have hid Psal 55. 12 13 14. me from him but it was thou ô man my companion and my familiar wee delighted in consulting together and went into the house of God as companions and againe If he come to see me hee speaketh lies for pretending love and good will unto mee he desireth my destruction Psal 41. 6. in his heart We love men for profit Voluntatis duo sunt calcaria There bee two spurres of the will honesty and utility but utility profit is the stronger spurre we should carry holy Love religious love towards our parents delectable love towards our neighbours The love of Papists is also condemned In cathedra unitatis Deus posuit doctrinam veritatis God hath placed the doctrine of verity Vnity without verity is nothing but conspiracy in the chaire of unity unity without verity is but conspiracy for so it is called their brotherhood is in evill as Iacob said of Simeon and Levi they consent against the Gospell as the high Priests did against Christ they have neither unity nor verity they agree Esay 8. 12. Gen. 49. 5. Act. 4. 27. as the false prophets did not in the Lord but against the Lord they make adoe of their Councell of Trident and how they agree in all meetings Alas a few buckeram Bishops of Italy conspired together but thirty eight Bishops in all not like the Councell of Nice wherein were 318. Bishops or that of Arimine where were 600. Bishops nor like the Councell of Constance where were 4. Patriarches 29. Cardinals 47. Archbishops 270. Bishops 564. Abbots and Doctors at the deposing of Benedict the third But to leave all this Keep your selves in the Love of God And first of Gods Love towards us next of our love towards God but in speaking of the Love of God to us I shall enter into a labyrinth without end into a sea without bottome For his Love is so much as there is no affection in nature no proportion in the whole world hath been found fit to expresse it the height of heaven above the earth the distance of the East from the West the affection of Fathers towards their childrē of mothers towards the fruit of their wombe of nurses towards their sucklings of Eagles towards their yong ones of hennes towards their chickens all these are but the shadowes of Gods Love Love in God is in the abstract it is not in him as in us by accident and participation but by essence only And God hath an immanent Love in him whereby he loveth himselfe by the necessity of his owne nature and hath a transient love flowing from him whereby hee loveth his creatures some more and some lesse according to the liberty of his owne will He hath a generall Love to all For all are his creatures and the workemanship of his hands but hee hath a speciall Love to some as unto his Elect and chosen and his Love towards them is both Temporary and Sempiternall Temporarie Sustentando Regendo Conservando By Sustaining Ruling Preserving Sempiternall gloriam dando in giving them eternall glory and the more holy men are the more hee loveth them wherupon Saint Augustine doth excellently observe that God loved the humanity of Christ more than any man because hee was full of August Tract in Iohn Iob. 1. 14. grace and truth Yea Gods Love hath all the dimensions Thy mercy ô God reacheth unto the Heavens there is the height of his Love Great is thy goodnesse and thou hast delivered my soule from the Psal 36. 5. Psal 86. 13. Psal 104. 24. nethermost Hell There is the depth of his love The earth is full of thy goodnesse saith David there is the breadth of his Love All the No love to be compared to Gods love ends of the world have seene the salvation of God There is the length of his Love Yea Gods Love is transcendent it can no more bee measured then yee can measure the water with your fist For Psal 104. 24. Psal 98. 4. Esa 40. what love shall I compare unto his Love The love of a woman It is great indeed but yet the love of Ionathan to David was greater than it Thy love to mee was wonderfull yea passing the love of 2 Sam. 1. 26. women The love of a mother Here is a greater degree than in the former but yet this love is not so certaine and infallible as Gods Love Can a woman forget her child and not have compassion of Esa 49. 15. the sonne of her wombe If they should forget as some may bee and some have been so unnaturall yet will not I forget thee saith God to his disconsolate and afflicted Sion For as none can be compared to God so no love can be compared to his Love as Ieremy spake literally of his owne griefe but typically of Christ Was there ever griefe as my griefe So may I say of Gods Love Was there Lament 1. 12. ever love like his Love No no his Love passeth all understanding Let us then labour to obtaine and retaine this Love of God and keep our selves in his Love which we shall doe if wee conforme our wills to his will and labour to bee like him to be holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull righteous
life and grace and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit For these causes ought wee to keep our selves in the Love of God These among many are reasons most sorcible to keep our selves in the Love of God How our God is to bee loved our Saviour sheweth Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind But first wee must love Mat. 22 37. him with all our heart that is with all our affections joying and delighting in none but in him For he loves not God that delights in any thing more than God as Augustine saith truly Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat quod non propter te amat He loves thee not who loves any thing with thee which he loves Aug. not for thee 2. Wee must love him with all our soule induring rather a separation of the soule from the body than that our soule should bee separated from God who is the Soule of the soule and the comsort both of soule and body How we are to love God 3. Wee must love him with all our mind so that our cogitations must bee fixed upon him and ruled by him his Word should direct our reason our reason rule our wills that so wee may say with the Apostle wee live not but God doth live within us Our chiefest care should bee how to performe this duty to God how to love him as the Church said I am full of love I am sicke of love All owe this duty to God but few pay it or if they Cant. 5. 8. doe it is with crackt money not currant in Gods Exchequer for our love to God is cold yea plaine dead and that appeareth in the breach of the first Table wee are bankrupts both in piety towards God and charity towards men we love the world and our pleasures more than God wee worshippe not God in Spirit and in truth wee sweare and blaspheme the name of God wee prophane and pollute the Sabbaths of God wee come seldome to the house of God how can wee say that we love God The Love of God standeth in the keeping of his Commandements So saith our Saviour Hee that hath my Commandements Iohn 14. 21 23 24. and keepeth them is he that loves mee And againe If any man love me hee will keep my Word and my Father will love him and wee will come unto him and dwell with him And againe Hee that loveth mee not keepeth not my words c. Hee speaketh positively and privatively The blessed and undivided Trinity will dwell with that man who loveth God truely but till wee serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse till wee pray diligently heare his Word attentively receive the Sacraments penitently keepe the Sabbaths religiously use his name reverently let us be ashamed to say that wee love God Nam Regnum Dei non est in verbis 1 Cor. 4. 20. sed in virtute The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power Many Christians are mutilated and lame either they want an eare and cannot heare God or they want a tongue and cannot praise God or they want an heart and cannot love God These Atheists are a disgrace to Religion a Moth in the garment of the Church Monsters in nature Divels in shape of men as Christ said of Iudas hollow trees not holy trees these men are reprived till the last Sessions a gibbet is built in hell for them and all the gold in the world cannot purchase their pardon this is durus sermo sed verus sermo an hard saying but a true saying Wee talke of the love of men and say Charity is waxed cold but as touching the Love of God there is altum silentium not a word wee are like unslaked lime hot in the water cold in the Sunne as the stone of Thracia which burneth in the river but is quenched with hot oyle wee are pennie-wise and pound-foolish like the Pharises which did tithe Mint and Rew and all manner Luk. 11. 42. of hearbes and passed over judgement and the Love of God And yet if we loved God an ell where wee love him an inch it were but due debt O it is a most honorable thing to bee a lover of God! it was one of Abrahams greatest titles of honour to bee called the friend The hope of eternall life makes Gods precepts seeme easy of God it is a most blessed thing to bee a lover of God They that love the Lord shall be as the Sunne that riseth in his strength And it is a most miserable thing not to love God for Maranatha Anathema to them that love not the Lord Iesus Therefore as Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that God would guide their hearts in his Love and this Iudg. 5. 31. 1 Cor. 16. ought to bee thy prayer and my prayer and all our prayers that God would guide our hearts in his Love And God guide our hearts in his Love evermore THE FOVRE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XXI Looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternall Life The hope of eternall life makes Gods precepts seem easie YEE have heard before that Iude gave the Saints many precepts now to mitigate the rigour of those precepts hee biddeth them looke for eternall life as if hee should say If it bee grievous to remember the words of the Lord to heare it to get faith to pray to keep themselves in the Love of God if nature if flesh and bloud wil hardly take out these lessons yet comfort your selves with the hope of eternall life there will bee an end of all troubles Salomon hath told you this long agoe saying Surely there is an end and thy hope shall not bee cut off Prov. 23. 18. all teares shall bee wiped from your eyes and yee shall bee filled with perfect joy after this iron world there is a golden world Esa 25. 8. there is a better life prepared for them in Gods house there are many dwellings as Christ said In my Fathers house there bee many mansions the time of refreshing will come as Peter said Act. Iohn 14. 1. 3. 19. And this is all joy and there is no joy but this I will give you Luk. 10. 19 20. power saith our Saviour to his disciples to treade on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you Neverthelesse in this rejoice not but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven Let not the rich man rejoice in his riches nor the Hope of reward makes all labours light wiseman in his wisdom nor the strong man in his strength as Ieremy speaketh but let us rejoice that our names are written in heaven Shal the souldier in the wars the mariner in the boistrous Ier. 9. waves the husbandman in the cloddy lands the prentice in a hard service undergoe great paines in hope and shal not we For what
excellent of all vertues 413 All vertues vaine without love ibid. Many excellent properties of Love 414 Little love in this age ibid. Love makes men of one heart 415 Many men implacable cruell like Wolues or Divels ibid. An exhortation to love 416 Foure properties of love that it be holy just true constant ibid. The love amongst Atheists and impious condemned 417 The excellency of Love ibid. Atheists agree like a kennell of dogs 418 Most love for lucre ibid. Gods love to us infinite 419 Gods love to us diversly distinguished ibid. Gods loue set out by all the dimensions yet transcendent and unmeasurable ibid. No love comparable to Gods Love 420 Gods love to us the cause of our love to him and the godly ibid. Foure reasons or motives to incite us to love God 1. à mandato 2. ab aequo justo 3. à commodo 4. ab officio 421 The manner how God is to bee loved 422 Love a debt that all owe to God and man but few poy it ibid VVe must shew our love to God by keeping his commandements and serving him 423 An honorable and happy thing to love God ibid. Sermon 34. THe hope of eternal life allays the hardnesse of Gods Commandements 425 Hope of reward makes men endure labours and dangers 426 The blessed estate of the Saints in Heaven 427 Christ and the Saints in their sufferings had an eye to the reward ibid. The joyes of Heaven unspeakable incomprehensible 428 The glorified bodyes shall have spirituall and heavenly qualities namely clarity agility subtility unpassibility and immortality 429 The principall points wherein the glory and joy of the glorified soule and whole Saint consist 430 Earthly mindes regard not Heavenly joyes 431 Divers errours concerning eternall life 432 The joyes of Heaven eternall and infinite ibid. Heaven compared with the wombe of the world 433 An exhortation to seeke after eternall joyes ibid. Eternall life onely the free gift of God 434 Merit end mercy gift and desert opposite ibid. Papists works many of them merit death 435 Merit three-fold Congrui Digni Condigni ibid. None can merit ex condigno but Christ 436 Our works cannot merit because finite and unperfect ibid. Christs righteousnes ours 437 Our works merit not jointly with Christs ibid. Grace threefold Praeveniens Subsequens Consummans ibid. Many Papists renounce their merits and fly to Gods mercy 438 Our election vocation justification sanctification all from grace 439 We must not trust in our works but confesse our sinnes ibid. Sermon 35. DIscretion necessary for distinguishing sinnes and sinners 441 Ministers must use discretion not deale alike with all sinnes and sinners ibid. How to restore with mâ—ekenes them that are fallen 442 VVee should pitty and pray for sinners and not despise them ibid. Many men more compassionate toward their beasts nhan brethren 444 Wee must tak away sinnes with mildenesse and mercy if possible ibid. Reproofe though not pleasing yet profitable 446 Compassion must be shewed especially to the soule 447 The Saints bewaile the estate of the wicked ibid. Threats of judgement belong to the wicked 448 The obstinate must be terrified not soothed ibid. Iudgements denounced against soothing false prophets 449 Reproofes more profitable than soothing flattery 450 Excommunication a grievous censure ibid. Excommunication three-fold 451 Two uses of Excommunication ibid. Sermon 36. THe sinner alwayes in danger 452 The fickle estate of the wicked set out by divers resemblances 453 No estate permanent 454 Sudden destruction waite on the wicked ibid. Death comes not sudden to the Godly 455 The Godly prepare by repentance and godly life for death while they have time 456 Repentance must not be deferred ibid. The saving of soules a most blessed worke 457 Though God save yet both Grace and Faith and Ministery concurre 458 Tho Ministrie being Gods ordinance to save soules is not to be slighted though the World despise them ibid. Foure faculties in the soule whereby it converts the food of the Word and Sacraments to nourishment of the spirituall life 459 The necessitie and excellent fruits of the Ministery set out by divers resemblances 460 The happy estate of them that have means of knowledge 461 Salvation and the misery of them that want it ibid. Sermon 37. NOt onely evill but all appearance of evill is to bee avoided 462 Sinne must bee hated not sported at if if wee love our owne soules ibid. No communion to be holden or society with the wicked 463 Wicked men must be avoided in respect of God and ourselves ibid. Sinne as contagious as the plague and more dangerous 464 Wee must hate sinne because the whole Trinity detest it 465 Wee must hate sinne because Satan is the author being enemie to God and our soules ibid. Sinne must bee hated because it dishonours God not our selves 466 Wee may not hold amity with the wicked boing Gods enemies 467 The amity of the wicked treachery ibid. Sinne onely is hated of God and man and not the person except reprobate 468 Two judgments the one of Faith the other of Charity 469 Wee must leave sinne of conscience not for other respects 470 The punishment of sinne ought to deterre from sinne ibid. Earthquakes an evident signe of Gods anger and a forerunner of judgement 471 Many earth-quakes in many places and much hurt 472 Christians not to be prophaned 473 Sermon 38 VVE are not sufficient to doe any good of our selves without grace 476 Exhortations do not shew what we can but what we should doe 477 Grace both preserves from falling and raiseth us being fallen 478 Our enemies many and powerfull 479 Prayer the best meanes to repell Satan and his temptations 480 All sorts of men have fallen even the Saints ibid. All have the Seminarie of all sinnes in them 481 Grace worketh all in all ibid. Wee walke in the middest of snares 482 God suffered Adam and doth still suffer the Saints to fall for divers reasons 483 Difference betweene the sinnes of Saints and Reprobates ibid. Whether and how the Church may erre 484 The best have erred ibid. The Pope may erre and many of them have erred 485 The distinctions about the erring of the Pope nice and frivolous 486 Sermon 39. HOw wee are said to bee blamelesse notwithstanding we are full of sin 487 Two kindes of righteousnesse 488 Our righteousnesse consists rather in the remission of sinne than perfection of vertue ibid. How we are said to be perfect and yet imperfect 489 The Iesuits and latter Popish writers the worst 490 The Church and members of it impure in it selfe but perfect and pure in Christ 491 Our service may be sincere not perfect 492 Iustification by workes confuted how justified by faith explained 493 Papists flye to the mercy of God and merit of Christ 494 No true joyes and pleasures in this world but all in Heaven ibid. The Saints in Heaven shall have fulnesse of joy undique 495 Heaven the land of the living and Earth land of dead men 496 God shall be all in all to the Saints in Heaven ibid. Worldly minded men desire not Heaven 497 Our life nothing to eternall life ibid. All honours and pleasures on earth nothing to them in Heaven 498 The World fraudulent turbulent momentary 499 Christ the onely comfort to the elect both in this life and that to come ibid. Many hindred from Heaven by pleasure Sermon 40. PRayer and praise the two chiefest parts of Gods worship must follow one another 501 The glory of God hath beene celebrated by all Saints 502 Wee slauld not thinke of the mercies of God in Christ without praising him 503 God described by many attributes yet none can sufficiently set him out ibid. God onely wise all men ignorant and foolish 504 Wee have no true wisedome till infused by God ibid. All wisedome and Knowledge hid in Christ 505 Destinction betweene Science and Sapience ibid. Worldly wisedome folly ibid. Gods Wisedome seene in creation and disposing of all creatures and governing the Church 506 Christ a mercifull and powerfull Saviour in life and death ibid. No Saviours comparable to Christ 507 The Papists derogate from the power and merit of Christ ibid. The imputative righteousnes of the Saints more set out Gods glory than the inherent 508 Mans worke cannot merit ibid. What it is to glorifie God 509 Thankefulnesse the onely sacrifice that God requires ibid. We pray in our wants and doe not praise God when we are releeved 510 Thankesgiving and the praise of God the end of our creation ibid. They thrt doe not glorifie God here shall not be glorified of him hereafter ibid. Two theeves that rob God of his glory and justice 511 A powerfull exhortation to praise God and give up our selves in thankefulnesse ibid. If no praise of God in the mouth no thankfulnesse or grace in the heart 512. Sermon 29. VVHat it is to ascribe majestie to God 514 Miracles are admired for the rarenesse 515 All Gods ordinary workes wonderfull 516 Our dulnesse in ascribing to God majestie in regard of his workes ibid. God reâ—eales himselfe sixe wayes ibid. Gods judgement do not worke Repentance ibid. Wherein Gods dominion standeth 517 Gods three-fold kingdome of power grace glorie ibid. Wee ackowledge our selves subjects of Christs kingdome of grace and yet are rebellious 518 Three properties in the Angels Obedience Libentissime Citissime Fidelissime Obediunt 519 Notorious sinners Satans bond-slaves ibid. Wee must be pure in soule and body that Christ may dwell and rule in us 520 Gods power omnipotent ibid. Christ every where present by his power though not corporally ibid. Christs omnipotenty gives comfort to the Christian 521 Gods incomprehensiblenesse set out by comparison ibid. Christ all in all to us 522 God cannot doe those things that imply contradiction or defect ibid. How attributes are ascribed some time to the whole Trinitie sometime to particular persons 523 All Gods attributes are eternall ibid. God must bee praied and praised for all things temporall and eternall 524 Amen the diverse significations thereof and the efficacie thereof in the conclusion of our praiers ibid. Note that the folio's are mistaken at fol. 425. where you shall finde this marke 〈◊〉 FINIS
were all damned for so must they bee if they savour not of Gods Spirit For the Wisdome of the flesh is death the Wisdome of the Spirit is life and Rom. 8. 6 8 13. peace and againe They that are in the flesh cannot please God and againe If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye but if yee mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit yee shall live and againe Whatsoever a man soweth that shall hee reape hee that soweth Gal. 6. 7 8. to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption and hee that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting Now temporall and eternall are opposite The things that are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall But not 2 Cor. 4. 18. Temporall and Spirituall But this was the policy of the Papists to name themselves spirituall that they might withdraw themselves from the Magistrate as though they pertained to God only not to Caesar Secondly they called their The regenerate onely have the Spirit of God in them lands and livings spirituall to exempt them also from the Magistrate and yet Paul calleth all these earthly commodities carnall as in his Epistle to the Corinthians If wee have sowne unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if wee reape 1 Cor. 9. 11. your carnall things And againe If the Gentiles bee made partakers Rom. 15. 27. of their spirituall things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnall things And to the end to defeate Caesar they set the Image of the Church upon their Coyne not Caesars Image Thirdly to make the more gaine they tooke to the punishment of Adultery Incest Drunkennesse Vsury Perjury Simony Sorcery under the colour of spirituall things and so they caught Testaments Legacies Marriages Dowries Ierome calleth the people Secular men but Temporall no man calleth them as though their hope reached but unto this life only whereas they are to bee saved aswell as Church-men To whom wrote Paul but unto the people For whom else prayed hee His words are plaine Brethren my hearts desire for Israel is that they might bee saved Well They have not the Spirit not the Spirit of Regeneration and sanctification but they have the Spirit of illumination but Gods children they have Gods Spirit of regeneration they are led by Gods Spirit and the Spirit of God certifieth Rom. 8. 16. their Spirits that they are the sonnes of God and he that hath not the Spirit of God is none of Gods it is the Spirit of God that worketh in us all in all The bath of regeneration and the renovation of the Spirit saveth us Wee are justified sanctified and Tit. 3. 1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. 22. washed by the Spirit All good works are the fruits of the Spirit untill Gods Spirit hath renewed us wee are stables for the Divell Si durus sit hic sermo as the Disciples said Iohn 6. Luk 11. 21. blame him that spake it O there is No medium betwixt these two either Gods Spirit dwelleth in us or Satan Know yee 1 Cor. 6. 16. not that yee are the Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you The Spirit is the same in the Church as the soule in the body it is it that quickneth us hee leadeth us into all Iohn 16. 3. truth hee sealeth up all graces in our hearts hee applieth all the mercies of God all the merits of Christ Iesus unto us hee worketh all graces and giveth all spirituall gifts unto us The Apostle making the comparison betweene the 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 13. 3. 8. Gal. 5. 2. flesh and the Spirit resembleth it to a tree that yeeldeth all manner of good fruits like the apple-tree of Persia or like the Tree of life Let us then intertaine Gods Spirit make much of him nourish every good motion that is wrought in us by him and every sparke will bee a fire flaming out of us every drop will bee a river issuing out of us to eternall life if wee nourish it but let us not quench the Spirit All grace and goodnesse flowes from Gods Spirit nor grieve the Spirit lest Saint Iude his Prophesy bee verified of us that wee are naturall men fleshly not having the Spirit but let us stirre up the gift of God in us blow at the coale and put spurres to this horse 1 Thess 5. 19. THE ONE AND THIRTIETH SERMON VERS XX. But yee beloved edifie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost The godly and the wicked every way opposite STill hee proceedeth in the comparison betwixt the godly and ungodly the elect and the reprobate the lambes on the right hand and the goates on the left hand of the Lord Iesus noting that the godly remember the words of the Lord they are peaceable without sects spirituall they increase in faith they pray in the Holy Ghost they keepe themselves in the love of God they looke for eternall life but on the contrary the wicked remember nothing they scoffe at Religion they be scorners they bee unquiet they be meere naturall men they decrease in goodnesse they pray not they love not God they cannot looke for life but death and destruction Tribulation and anguish shall bee upon the soules of them Vpon Rom. 9. Psal 11. 6 7. them God will raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke A Lion out of the forrest shall slay them and a Woolfe in the wildernesse shall destroy them a Ier. 1. 5 6. Leopard shall watch over their Cities every one that goeth out shall bee torne in pieces because their trespasses are many and The Church and Saints as houses must be edified or builded dayly their rebellions are increased Sed but yee beloved but this Conjunction discretive here is emphaticall Sed vos autem dilecti but you beloved as if hee should have said You must not be like the wicked they be mockers they walke after their ungodly lusts they are makers of sects fleshly having not the Spirit but you must not doe so but you must turne over another leafe learne a new lesson This teacheth all Christians to live like Christians not as miscreants the true Christian turnes away his eyes from vanity as Iob the miscreant applies his senses to folly as Holofernes The Iob. Iudith 10. true Christian setteth a watch before his mouth and keepeth the doore of his lips the miscreant gives liberty to his tongue to speake evill and raile like Rabshakeh the true Christian is alwayes doing good as Abraham the miscreant alwayes doing 2 Reg. 18. evill as Achab the one loveth goodnesse the other badnesse the one setteth Gods judgements before his face the other puts them from his sight the one kils sinne in the thought the other suffers it to raigne in the heart the one knowes the end of his sinne