dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. Was the Word able to raise the Gentiles suffer it then to conquer thy lusts to mollifie thy hard heart to wash thee to supple thee in the fountaine of Israel the Spring of living waters to be a lanthorne unto thy feet and a light unto thy pathes Psal 119. It is worthy the consideration of the most considerate that CHRIST is come unto thee Ioh. 1. 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us And if thou continue a wicked Cham a cursed Canaan a prophane Esau a flowting Ismael and comest not unto him by prayer and obedience and he into thee by his Spirit Iohn 14. 17. be sure he will come to thee and against thee in his judgements to thy most fearefull ruine and destruction as he came to Herod Iulian Antiochus like a Lionesse bereft of her whelpes and to the rest of his enemies Luke 19. 27. Those mine enemies That would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and stay them before me Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish in the way Psal 2. Inflame my heart O Lord with zeale to desire thee desiring thee to seeke thee and give me grace by seeking to finde thee in the word Sacraments c. To teach us that untill a mans eyes be opened his heart touched and his soule enlightned and hee by the Gospell endued with the power of grace from above he seeth no glory nor excellency in religion and Christianity like those Gentiles so long as they wallowed in their sinnes and superstitious vanities the pretious word of reconciliation was to them but as pearles cast before Swine Math. 7. 6. Or the childrens bread unto doggs Math. 15. 26. But when the unsearchable riches of CHRIST was preached unto them a mysterie which from the beginning of the world was hid in God and not opened to the sonnes of men nor to very Angels principalities and powers Eph. 3. 5. 8. 9. the accomplishment of which riches is the glory and joy of heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. the Angels desire and delight to looke into it we see how inwardly they are affected with it and they see no glory in any thing else as the wife of Phineas 1 Sam 4. 21. calling the arke the glory of Israel As Saul before an Herod a Iulian persecuting CHRIST with as much fury as any tyrant breathing out nothing but fire and faggot yet when he was smitten downe to the ground by the powerfull voyce of CHRIST he became a most zealous Preacher of the trueth in which formerly hee saw no glory and a pillar of that Church which even now he would have pulled downe and desires to know nothing but CHRIST and him crucified Gal. 6. 14. he joyes in nothing else Those also Acts 2. 13. that were mocking the gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles affirming the heate of too much wine to cause that volubility of straÌ„ge languages among them Yet when Peter had taught them that it was the accomplishment of Gods faithfull promise prophecyed by Ioel chap. 2. 28. of the powring out the bottomlesse Ocean of Gods Spirit in the gifts and graces thereof upon all flesh and had applied a corrasive of redargution and reproofe unto them for crucifying CHRIST they are changed and pricked in their hearts longing after the way of salvetion vers 37. Men and brethren what shall we doe The like wee see Acts 16 in the laylor when hee heard Paul and Silas praying and singing Psalmes in the Prison he is presently like King Saul 1 Sam 10. 9. when the Spirit of God came upon him changed into another man So in him was a strange alteration being cast downe by the miraculous earthquake and the cohibition of Paul verse 29. his backwardnesse into forwardnesse he called for a light and sprang in his pride into humility he came trembling and fell downe his cruelty in his former insulting over them into compassionate mercy he brought them forth his desire which was formerly to persecute them to be saved by them What shall I doe to be saved So the sinne-sunke citizen woman that had a long time almost rotted in the Dead Sea and sulphureous Asphaltites of loathsome lust hearing of a IESVS a Saviour though in a proud Pharisies house Luke 7. 37. stickes neither for costly oyntment to annoynt him nor sâ—aâ—e to stand behind him nor plenty of teares to wash his feete who was watering her soule with the dewe of Grace nor her haire which sometime like Nauplius his lights to bring the Grecian fleet to destruction in revenge of his sonne Palamedes was as a baite to ensnare the hurtlesse passenger to wipe his feete which was to wipe her soule with the immaculate sacrifice of his owne bloud Iohn 1. 29. Thus we see Publicans and sinners when once they are touched in remorse for finne how deepely they are affected and inwardly touched Rom. 7. 24. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death even with Ezekiah Esay 38. 14. To chatter like a Crane or a swallow and mourne like a dove with David Iob and the children of God with prayers teares watchings mournings to fill heaven and earth for the pardon of theyr sinnes their reconciliation with God the peace of conscience the comfort of the Spirit of comfort and the Salvation of their soules When the civill honest man is scarcely moved with any sence or feeling of the need of his conversion he feeles no sweetnesse in the word which is sweeter than honie or the honie combe Psal 19. 10. He feeles no need of it and yet Iob esteemes it above his ordinary food we have our spirituall life by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall but of immortall seede by the word of God which liveth and endureth for ever We have Gods benefits for his words sake 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy words sake and according to thy promise hast thou done all these great things The preaching there of makes Saâ—an fall downe as lightning Luke 10. 18. Witnesse those new found Indiâ—â— lamaica Iappo Virginia which have formerly had a strange familiar commerce with Satan and have sacrificed unto him though not for love yet for feare of heart as the Pigusians every morning runne with baskets full of rice to pacifiâ— him in the shape of a blacke dogge with many more brutish benevolences to him So soone as Christopher Columbus and others had discovered them and planted the Gospell in some parts of them how deepely have these poore Pagans bin affected the kingdome of Satan demolished that now seldome or never he appeares among them He sees no power in it he accounts of the threatnings denounced out of the Word but as Morbasan the Turke did of the Excommunication of Pius 2. when he sent him word to call in his Epigrams Thus doe wicked men and civil honest men
to see their charmers because one of them laughed not to see another in their antique and apish Idolatries which are more fit to please babes than any way to satisfie the conscience of man all in the shadowe nothing in the substance If these then or any such have forestalled the market of our affections and have taken a lodging in our hearts let us deale with them as Iacob did with his false Gods or as Ephraim with his Idols cast them out And let the current of our affections run in the right streame and be fixed on the right obiect Praise ye the Lord. Whence and from what hath bin spoken and the naturall genuine sence of the words themselves let us erect for our supportance in this duty the doctrine following viz. It is a chiefe duty necessarily enioyned to all creatures and especially to man to become instruments of the glorious praise of their omnipotent Creator This was the gracious practise of old Zacharie Luke 1. 68. for receiving his gracefull sonne Iohn supposed to be the Messiah Ioh. 1. 21. a blessing from God no sooner given but a blessing from man returned Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. rightly called in the language of Canaan a blessing ingratitude being the devils text wicked men the Glossers and Expositors both which must end in a cursed destruction Blessed Marie in her song cals it a magnifying Luke 1. 46. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. To magnifie is to make great Now God is the best the greatest and cannot in himselfe be made lesser or greater by us all that we can doe either in the magnifying or vilifying of him is in regard of others when we sweare falsely protest rashly blaspheame like an Atheist or Turke we do to our power lessen his greatnes when we unthankefully returne not his due praise for his mercies we vilipend debase as much as we can his gracious goodnes and when we magnifie him wee make him great wee proclaime him good To make this more plaine and to drive this dutie deeper into our soules it is in regard of vs the end of our election foreseene in the mercy and love of God before the foundation of the World as over-looking our estate in Adam as changeably good to that in Christ immutably glorious Ephes 1. 6 To the praise of his glorious Grace It is the end of our creation even enjoyned to insensible animals the visible and legible booke of our instruction and lessoning in this duty the sunne moone day night Psal 19. 1. and every thing that hath breath are summoned by Davids Trumpet to become the well uned Cymball of their Creators praise But Man the rare Epitome of all these hath an instrument of speech to tune it to a higher key Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive honour and praise for thou hast created all things for thy wils sake and for thy pleasures sake were they created It is the end of our redemption Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy to take the booke and open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud And thus I must instance in the rest even to the lowest particular deliverance from the hellish and the highest to the least and lowest danger as Exod. 15. Iudg. 5. c. no sooner a deliverance but a song of thanks giving to the deliverer And it is the summe of what thy God for this requires of thee Psal 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt praise mee Reas 1. Because as all rivers come from the sea and returne thither againe returning as it were a thankefull tribute to their Lord Even so all things come from the Father of lights Iam. 1 17. which are for our good as from the fountaine of goodnesse and must or at least ought in thankefulnesse to returne to him againe All the gifts of fortune falsely so called as riches and possessions the gracefull endowments of the body as agility beauty strength all the goods of the minde as wit learning No silver in Benjamins sacke till Ioseph put it in and no good in man except God bestowe it Even that noble skill in physicke standing upon two legs Reason and Experience is an excellent meanes to preserve our health and yet for all this it is the great Doctor which hath Heaven for his chaire that keepeth us alive for so soone as he is angry wee are gone wee bring our yeares to an end as a tale that is told Psal 90. 9. If the keepers of our house doe not tremble and the grinders cease not and the golden ewer be not broken and our eyes the windowes of our bodies be not darke it is from the Father of lights Hence renowned Salomon and all the learned Clearkes have their wisedome and the same it was which tooke away that great knowledge from the learned Trapezuntius who was not onely infatuated in his learning but forgot his owne name Hence are all students counselled by Sarisburiensis in Policratico to knocke at heaven gate to God for their good speede that the key of knowledge may open a doore of utterance So there are diversities of gifts diversities of administrations and diversities of operations but all from the same Spirit from the same Lord who worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. Among the Apostles Paul was good at planting Apollos at watering Among the Fathers some construed the Scriptures all egorically as Origen who excelled others either in effect or defect Augustine dogmatically Hierome more literally Gregory the great Morrally and Chrysostome pathetically And also among our moderne writers Erasmus was full of matter and words Luther had store of matter without many words Carolostadius neither c. as Luther himselfe wrote upon the wals of his Chamber So also among our ordinary Preachers some have good utterance but a bad conceite some an excellent utterance but a meane wit some both some neither As for the gifts appertaining to the will 2 Cor. 3. 5. All our sufficiencie is of God For faith which as some thinke belongeth both to the will and understanding it is also the gift of God 10. 6. 29. This is the gift of God that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent God worketh in man the first desire to beleeve ipsumvelle credere saith Augustine The staying of the bloudy fluxe of thy corruption comes from some vertue in Christ Mar. 5. 30 The purging of thy lippes from lying swearing blaspheaming c. is by a coale from the Altar Esay 6. 6. The gift of Prayer powerfully solliciting the throne of mercy and filling heaven and earth with Abba father proceedes from none but the Spirit which makes intercession for us with groanes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8. 26. The tongue of the learned it is from the Lord Esay 50. 4. If thou hadst
who enquiring where he might finde his lost horse when he had none the Oracle answered he should finde one indeed but his death with it Homeward he comes joyfully that he had deluded the Oracle but by the way was commanded by King Attalus to be throwne downe a rocke called a Horse Though this be fabulous yet the morall will surely fall heavy upon all the despisers of God in his power and glory and the enemies of his kingdome even to crush them to destruction in the furnace of Gods implacable wrath Consider this ye that forget God Psal 50. 22. We must learne hence to praise God in his creatures in acknowledging his uncontroleable soveraignty and Lordship over them that he is onely that which the flattering Parasites would have given to Canutus one of the Kings of England who stiled him Ruler and Lord of Sea and Land which he modestly confuted when going to the sea side and sitting in his chaire of State he would but could not commaund the waves of the watery regiment no more than Pharaoh could the red Sea Esay 44. 24. I am Iehova that made all things therefore his by right of Creation and thence requires his honour and praise in the moderate vse of them He is the Land-lord thou the tenant and that at will he may put thee out of thy earthen tabernacle when hee will though thou be a free-holder yet as the lawyer speakes not without impeachment of Waste a lease thou hast indeed with a large scope but yet with this proviso Iohn 6. 12. Let nothing be lost The Almighty as the head of this great house the World as he hath created all things and given them their being so he will surely take a strickt account of their waste Luke 16. 2. How doe I heare this of thee give an account of thy stewardship He is arraigned for a matter of waste in the first verse which word there used seemes to be taken from the Scorpion which wilfully wasteth the sweete smelling Violets How hast thou encreased thy talents and not bezeled and imbezled them away to the dishonour of thine and their Creator The creatures abused to the dishonour of their Chiefe-Lord even groane under thee the Sunne blushes to be made a God 2 King 23. 5. The high places are ashamed of theyr idolatrous Chamarims burning incense there the Fire of the Persian the Crocodile of the Aegyptian the Gold and Silver of the Iewe which made Baal thereof Onely the shamelesse Devill is not ashamed of his worshippers in Calecute c If we considered this and Gods Lordship over them we would not be thus impudently bold in the abuse of them And first in this matter let us arraigne the proud man To what end is this waste to lay lands and livings upon his backe to make it glister God indeed hath not onely allowed garments for necessity Gen. 3 21. a leatherne coate for Adam but also ornaments for comlines Esther 6. 11. royall roabs for Mordecai They that are in Kings houses weare and are allowed to weare soft rayment But those antique fashions both God and nature and the lawes of all Countries have alwayes condemned as irreligious and wicked those being marred in the making as one spake of fantastique women spoyling and defacing those genuine graces and naturall beauty which nature from a liberall hand hath bestowed upon them That doth beautifie which doth beatifie making our graces more gracious and our soules more happy The ridiculous chaine of pride Psal 73. 6 and the foolish fashions of the Iewes Esay 3. 16. that now puffes up thy soule like a tympany making thy body bright as Herods drawing the eyes of admiration after it will one day without repentance accuse thee for a waster to the great God and Lord of the Creatures Next comes to the barre as guilty of Waste the fat bellyed swolne guts the Epicure a dishonourer of the Creator in the abuse of the creature meate and drinke Agur Prov. 30. 8. prayes for foode convenient or the food of allowance But must feed of all dishes and knowes no mean but surfeit makes his morsell his god in mea patria Deus venter his belly his Bell his idoll like Aesops hen too fat to lay to produce any fruits of goodnesse Dives-like faring deliciously every day Sence his purveyor Appetite his Steward his throate his heaven like sensuall Philoxenus that wished his throate like a Cranes more fully to delight his bestiall part Salomon Prov. 23. 25. joynes a twinne of the same wombe The drunkard and the glutton shall come unto poverty He likewise dishonours God in his creatures Esay 5. 22. There is a woe hangs over him like Damocles sword at his delicates tyed by a slender haire while he carowses his condemnation and feares not Either of these are a morbus hydropicus a Baltazzars sinne while he doth not wisely dispense as a steward but blindely scatter as a waster of his Mastersgoods and so must passe as a prodigall unthrift Againe we dishonour God in his creatures when they are made instruments against the godly whom the whole hoast of Heaven and earth desire to serve and comfort from the highest Angell to the poorest worme Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of salvation Psal 91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Math. 4. 11. Christ in the heate of his temptation hath Angels to comfort him Math. 18. 10. The elect even the little ones have Angels Distressed Hagar is comforted by an heavenly messenger Gen. 16. 7. Iacob by a vision of celestiall spirits Gen. 32. 2. Thus were the Israelites conducted Exod. 14. 19 What need I speake of Ioshua Gideon Elija c. nay even Sunne and Moone with every starre in the glorious firmament all fight for the Church Iud. 5. 2. They fought in their order from heaven even the starres in their courses the river Kishon stood not idle but swept them away as a besome doth the filth in the house The sea gives way to the passage of Gods people and heapeth together his fluctuant fluide moysture to make them a dryed pavement Exod. 14. 22. Ios 10. 12 had experience of this from the helpe of heaven in their defence against the Amorites so that sea land heaven and the whole hoast of the creatures would doe service to the Godly Hence the creature groanes to be made an instrument of torture by a Tyrant to whom he is appoynted a minister of comfort by his maker as the fire to burne the water to drowne Gods servants abused to this end by the earth or rather hell-sprung Gyants of the world And as the creature groanes to be an engine to hurt the godly so is it weary of those that dishonour him an enemie to Gods enemies Atheists Idolaters
all true penitents wicked men have but one spirituall eye by which they see the horrid pitfall of their misery as Cain Iudas c. but the penitent hath two with the one he sees his misery by sinne with the other his hopefull comfort by Gods mercie and thus his feare becomes filiall Psal 130. 4. Thou art mercifull and worthy to be feared drawing the Argument of his sonne-like obedience from that mercie which he feares to misse the wicked mans service if ever he have any springs from a terrour of judgement and wrath which is only servile the penitent beares not the image and superscription of a Pharisaicall Iusticiarie Luke 18. who begins with gloria patri instead of miserere mei his motto I thanke thee O God that I am not like other men but the portraiture of the poore Publican perplexed and knocking upon his breast Crying Lord be mercifull unto me a sinner The second degree is Sorrow which ariseth from the former apprehension of Gods anger and mans perplexed guilt standing before him arraigned and convicted in his owne Conscience for so many and so manifold rebellions and transgressions And here we must distinguish Sorrow which is two-fold first a worldly sorrow which is a dessembled hypocriticall repentance as in Ahab Iudas Esau c. Secondly the other is a godly sorrow for sinne proper onely to the godly man and the true badge of the penitent both which we see 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh salvation by repentance not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death the former arising from the mercy of God as being sorrowfull that he hath offended him as David Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight the gracious favours which were bestowed upon him as his exhaltation from a poore ruddy-faced Shepheard to sit upon a Princely throne his severall deliverances from the Beare the Lion the Champion of the Phlistines and the sundry treacheries practised against him by his Master Saul hunting him as a Partridge upon the mountaines establishing his kingdome c. with infinite more being called into Davids remembrance and made the matter of his retired meditations with his owne ungratefull ungracious rebellions doe cause his eyes to distill like a Lymbecke and his rocky-stony-pumise-dry heart to overflowwith the Teares of a truely-sorrowfullpenitent and now his heart being hot within him as at other times upon other considerations Psal 39. 3. He breakes silence and in the griefe of his soule complaines of the ill requitall with which he had recompenced the Lord of his mercifull kindnesse The like wee may see in that patterne of penitents the profuse Prodigall Luk. 15. The sinne-loden-citizen woman Luke 7. 47. Comming attended with shame and sorrow lavishly washing the feet of her Saviour with teares from her soules stillatory that must wash not onely her feet as was said to Peter Iohn 23. 9. but also her hands and her head this hath been is and must be the course of every saved sinner to retire and returne by weeping crosse thus breaking the heads of Dragons in the water washing away great sinnes by great sorrow What shall then be said of the preposterous course of the world doing all by contraries like that Nation who in a crosse emulation of their neighbours whose custome in curtese is to put off their Hats in saluting one another these because they will be contrary put off their shooes at their meetings so in this maine matter you shall see the wicked man play cart before horse and in stead of sorrow for his sinnes bragge and boast of them as if the Peacocks pride lay in his blacke feete or the Theeves glory in their halters to boast of strength to quarrell and drinke wine Hab. 2. 15. To boast of lying stealing cozening policie c. with the bloudy Poligamist Gen. 4. 23. I have slaine a man in my wounding and a young man in my hurt which Scripture although Catharinus thinke inexplicable and upon which Origen writ two whole bookes and with divers have diversly interpreted yet with Calvin it is most likely to be a bragge and an insolent boast of his bloody strength What is this else but even to be proud of that which should be and at length will be the matter of our shame and the confusion of our faces Phil. 3. 19. They glory in their shame The third degree in repentance after our humiliation is the earnest craving and begging of pardon grounded likewise upon Gods mercifull kindnesse a glympse of which the penitent sees though dimmely as the newly-cured blindeman saw men walke like trees or as Zebul Iudg. 9. 39. Tooke men to be but the shadowes of the mountaines yet truely Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him turne to the Lord the reason followes and he will have mercy upon him and will abundantly pardon the like Hos 6. 1. Come let us returne unto the Lord the reason moving for he hath torne and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will bind us up and this assurance of mercie and willingnesse to forgive armes the sinner with boldnesse to sollicite the throne of Grace so that hee which unfainedly repents beleeves and prayes for pardon Repentance and prayer being inseparable Companions Eccle. 3. 12. Examine thy selfe than with what boldnesse thou prayest filling heaven and earth with the Abba Father how thou commest to God as thy father in the name of CHRIST as they Redeemer by the power of the Spirit of Adoption as by Gods mercy in the assurance of thy faith interessed in all the promises being drawne hereto by the cords of love and the bands of mercie and this hath been the pathway in which all the high Saints and servants of God have traced and troden to their Celestiall home it being Gods owne precept Psal 30. 15. Call upon mee in the time of trouble c. The fourth degree ushered by the former is newnesse of life springing Likewise out of the brazen mountaines of Gods constant mercies as continent Ioseph makes his advancement the argument of his chastitie Gen. 39. 8. Hee answered his Mistresse behold my Master woteth not what is with me in the house and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand there is none greater in this house than I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Three things stay Ioseph from committing this sinne first the feare of God secondly the love of his Master in regard of his liberality thirdty the dutie of the wife toward her husband as learned Mercerus hath well observed Or first the reverence of Gods Majesty seeing and beholding all things secondly the consideration of his mercie and benefits received thirdly the feare of judgement as Pererius he knew all
come when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth sometime for sincerity in our conversation Ioh. 3. 21. hee that doth truth commeth to the light an Israelite in whom is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. Sometime for the rule of Gods law Rom. 2. 8. Disobeying the truth and obeying vnrighteousnesse and 1. Pet. 1. 22. Your selves are purified by obeying the truth Sometime for the sincere doctrine of the Gospell Gal. 2. 5. that the truth of the Gospell might continue with you Sometime for Iustice Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserves the King Sometime for such a truth as depends not vpon Opinion which may erre but for that Metaphysicall truth which is affectio Entis and such I take it to be here and so in God it cannot faile so taken Rom. 3. 7. If the verity or truth of God hath more abounded through my lye and so vpon the premisses this doctrine builds it selfe There is nothing more certaine to come to passe in a due and true performance then the truth of all Gods promises Wee neede not stand to prop the truth of this truth vpon any weake foundation of mans building for his truth is himselfe Exod. 34. 6. aboundant in goodnesse and truth Man may be said to be true mercifull just but God is truth mercie and justice it selfe in the abstract so the Prophet here brings his truth in the second place as the sure performer of his mercifull kindnesse whatsoever saith Calvyn He doth promise by his mercy he doth faithfully performe because his mercy and truth are vndissolubly knit together they goe hand in hand and cannot be seperated and as he cannot lye nor deny himselfe Tit. 1. 2. No more can his truth faile Num. 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or the sonne of man to repent his truth is confirmed strengthened veryfied and so corroborated toward us for so the word translated great in the Originall signifieth that if we would we cannot put it from us but it will overcome us to acknowledge it if the Lord speake it even to the miraculous continuing of the Meale in the barrell and the Oyle in the Cruse 1. King 17. 14. Even in the preservation and maintenance of the Patriarch Iacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy the least of thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy servant heere is finem non habitura fides his truth is even decked and clothed with constancy and firmnesse we cannot obiect against him as the Poet against Iason and in him against vnstable Man Mobilis AEsonide vernaque incertior aura Cur tua polliciti pondere verba earent Inconstant sonne of AEson fickle wight and more vnconstant then the wind in spring How is it that thy words are growne so light to want that weight should be in promising He deserves not with Antigonus to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who promised much and performed little neither with Thaeaginus to be called smoake who promised much being very poore neither with Hermodorus will he sell his words he doth not will not cannot equivocate with man in the truth of his promises as he that promised centum oves and performed centum ova he hath given us an hand-writing and obligation of promises made himselfe our debter not by owing but promising sayth the great Bishop of little Hippo the heavenly Augustine that we cannot say vnto him give that thou owest but we must pray vnto him for what he promiseth his promises are not like the golden shewes nor showers of the World who like Sathan Mat. 4. 9. promise what they cannot perform inverting the words of the wise Phocion who would have great matters performed not promised as Stobaeus witnesseth but they promise golden mountaines the opulency of Lidian Craesus which in performance prove but moale-hills Among the sonnes of the earth some indeed performe that which after ward they repent as Ioshua did to the Gibeonites Ios 9. 23. some promise what they can doe but meane it not as Iacobs sonnes to the Sichemits Gen 34. 26. Some promise willingly but give vnwillingly as Herod Iohn Baptists head to Herodias Mar. 6. 16. Some promise but after deny it as Laban dealt with Iacob Gen. 29. 23. as is complained Cap. 31. 41. Thou hast changed my wages tenne times but the promises of God are to the faithfull in hope without hope above hope and against hope the father of the faithfull proved all this to be true Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many Nations the ground of whose Faith was the promise according to that which was spoken so shall thy seede bee Gen. 15. 5. This was accompted vnto Abraham for righteousnesse saith Ambrese because he beleeved and required no reason so the truth of the Lord endureth for ever Because he hath made his truth as strong as the brazen pillers of eternitie to encourage his servants wholly to relye vpon him expecting the performance of his promises he made them before the foundation of the World inact them in the great Parliament of Heaven before all time Ephe. 1. 5. they were and are firme stable great and precious to make us partakers of the divine nature 2. Pet. 1 4. performed in time when the time of promise came which God had sworne to Abraham given a word of prmoise Rom. 9. 7 in Isaac shall thy seede be blessed purposed salvation for us before the world began 2. Tim. 1. 9. Purchased inheritance of promise Heb. 6. 12. be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and patience inherit the promises adopted as children of promise Gal. 4. 28. Now we brethren as Isaac are the children of promise drawne Covenants of promise Ephes 2. 12. The spirit of truth the Scrivener of them Ephes 1. 13. And sealed with the spirit of promise having set not onely his hand but the signet of his right hand the character ingraven image of his own person Amen The truth of the father 2. Cor 10. 10. All the promises of God are yea Amen in CHRIST which is the truth it selfe Reu. 3. 14. These things saith the Amen the true and faithfull witnesse the new convenant drawne Ier. 31. 31. And the counterpane thereof Heb. 8. 8. Are of more force and vertue then all the bills bonds and obligations be they never so curiously and cunningly framed in the winding Mâ—ander of a Ploydons braine Heaven and Earth shall passe ereone jot or title of these can perish nay if there were neither booke record inke or paper in the world they are written more surely then with a pen of Iron ingraven more firmely then with the point of a Diamond by the spirit of Gods grace and adoption in the heart of every beleever and further we have not onely his bond
meditating and repeating of things taught and delivered for their good Reason 1. because of the dulnesse of Mans apprehension and his memories weaknesse in retension those lively powers and faculties of the Soule superiour and inferiour being so craysed and broken by the fall Ephes 4. 38. our cogitatitions darkened and estranged from the life of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man understandeth not the things of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. He thinkes nor can thinke of himselfe a good thought Rom. 8. 7. hee submits not nor can submit to the law of God Phil. 2. 13. he wills not nor can will things pleâ—sing to God Luke 13. 11. Hee hath a Spirit of infirmity c. so that viewe him in his naturals and they are meere privations a mixture and composition whose ingredients are weaknesse and frailety which causeth us to stand in neede to have things often repeated that they may leaue the better impression behinde them The learned Doctor of the Gentiles dealt so plainely that he dares affirme both to the learned and ignorant 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish to this end the Minister is called a Nurse 1 Thes 2. 7. which halfe cheweth meate ere she give it to her child and in teaching it to speake to the right framing of its vocall Arteries doth of ten Parrat-like repeate the same words so must we as Babes chewe eate and disgest the root of our instruction Ionas Sermon was the same for three dayes together Yet forty dayes and Ninivie shall be destroyed Iona. 3. 4. As meaâ—e from the mouth is commended to the Liver and Stomach then to the more tender and slender inwards in the first Concoction next the nutritive being segregated from the excrementitious parts in the second concoction it is committed to the Mesaraicke veynes and thence in the third concoction dispierced secretly thorow the conduits of the outward veynes to every part of the body nourishing the blood arteries sinewes flesh c. Even so the Word of God must bee committed to the outward eare then to the intellectuall parts thence to the heart and so to worke upon the will and the affections as to pull downe every imagination and high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God by little and little to bring them into subjection to the obedience of CHRSIT which is not done all at once but by working the Eare to like the Memory to retayne and the Heart to digest Heere are instructions first for the Minister than for the People the Minister who is Gods mouth and Messenger vnto the people must not onely teach new things and vnknowne but also â—epeat and bring to remembrance things old and knowne beating upon the same nayle to drive it the deeper and make it the faster and for this let the Apostle Peter bee our warrantable patterne 2. Pet 1. 12. I will not bee negligent to put you alway in remembrance of these things though you know them and verse 13. I thinke it meete so long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance and for this end hee writes this second Epistle Chap. 3. 1. So Timothy must stirre up the guiâ—t of God in him 2 Tim. 1. 6. Least those guifts should lye dead in him and give no light as fire under many afhes So though thy repetitions be thought penurious and poore yet will they stirre up the dulnesse of the memory and understanding and this thy plainnesse if in the evidence of the Spirit is the way to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 18. called The Preaching of the Crosse openly and plainely crucifying CHRIST before your eyes Gal. 3. 1. describing him in your sight as it were painted upon your wals This is that two edged sword dividing betwixt the marrow and the bones Heb. 4. 12. That true prophecying which judgeth men discovering the thing of the heart causing them to say The Lord is within you 1 Cor. 14. 25. This is the mighty Scepter in CHRISTS mouth by which he smites the Nations conquers the prophanehearted Gentiles Isa 11. 4. That which shaketh heaven and earth Hag. 2. 5. all other are unsavory humane and small more of the pride of the flesh than of the Grace of the Spirit Which serves to shew what mettle wee are of which like the Pharisees out of Moses chayre hunting after the vaine breath of Mans praise more than the true rewarding praise of God Iohn 12. 41 soare in such an Eagles pitch upon the wings of humaine Rhetorique and the darke abstruse mysteries of Schoole-invention that wee wrap up CHRIST and the way of Salvation in such swadling bands Herculian knots inextricable nice distinctions and Sphinxicall riddles that Oedipus himselfe might stand amazed and the Disciples in astonishment might say What meane these things Like many of those 38 Expositers upon Aquinus leaving him as darke as they found him where we see little else but Tomes upon Tomes what is this but the pollicy of Sathan working in the swelling wisdome of the flesh to obscure the way to Heaven this was not the precept of God Ier. 15 19. Thou must not turne to the people but they to thee nor approved of our Saviour CHRIST Iohn 5. 44. Yee believe not because yee seeke glory one of another nor Pauls practise Gal. 1. 10. Doe I preach God or man or seeke 1 to please men c. and 1 Cor. 14. 19. I had rather speake five words in the Church by my understanding that by my voyce I might teach others then ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue empty thy selfe then of this thy Delphick obscurity let thy Trumpet give a certaine sound least thou shut up the Kingdome of Heaven with the Pharisees and neither enter thy selfe nor suffer them that would enter To teach the people to bee content to heare the same things repeated and to be fedde more than once with the same kinde of meate while thou art a Babe in the old thou must not desire newe and as the Minister must not gild and blanch over the word of God to please thy humor and as a good Embassadour of whom a Lawyer speaketh must not be like a Stage Player to change his person but constantly stand to the will and pleasure of his King and Master and must not say with Issachar Gen 49. 14 Ease is good but must feede the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made him over-seer Act. 20. 28. and feed the lambes if hee love Christ Iohn 20. 17. Giving to every one his portion in due season and that in that evidence and plaine demonstration of the Spirit so thou art to heare not as in the exchange onely strangenewes from forraigne Nations or as those newg fangled Athenians but putting off this itchinrhumor here to have thy understanding informed thy will reformed and thy life
admonish either our selves or others with profit Secondly wee must sing with grace in our hearts that is in exercising and stirring up the graces of God in our hearts as our loy Faith Love confidence and commemoration of Gods benefits either in giving or forgiving kindleing our dead zeale as a fire with bellowes 2 Tim 1. 6. Thirdly wee must sing with our hearts not onely tongues and voyces but with a zealous desire by our singing to glorifie God Psal 47. 7. Sing yee praises with understanding Psal 118. 27 Bind the Sacrifice with cordes to the hornes of the Altar hence wee are sayd to prepare our hearts 1 Cor. 14. 14 Thus David bids his Lute his Harpe his glory his tongue to awake Ps 57. 8. he would not have his heart sleeping while his tongue is walking and waking for Non vâ—x sed votum non musica chordula sed cor non cantans sed amans cantat in aure Dei T is not thy voyce but vowe not well tun'd harpâ— but heart Not sound but solid love mirths in Gods hearing part The fourth is to sing to Gods glory with an holy remembrance of his awfull and Majesticke presence and this is that which is observed by Cramerus that if our doxologies and thankesgivings be acceptable they must begin from God as the first mover and primus moter of his owne praise they must be of God as the matter and argument of all our songs they must be with him as the end and scope of all our Hosannaes of mercy and Hallelu-jahs of praise thus making him the efficient materiall formall and finall cause of all our service joyned together by the Prophet Ps 86. 4. Râ—ioyce the Soule of thy servant c. First in that he would his soule to be made joyfull hee desires God to move it to that duety 2. Where he calls God hee shewes the matter of his Psalmodicall melody 3. The listing up of his heart unto God hee intimates his end and marke And lastly to whom hee dedicates his Musicke To teach all Christians a conscionable diligence in this duety all creatures in theyr kinde blesse their Creaâ—or even they that want tongues as Sunne Moone Starres c. Psal 148. The unreasonable creatures giue with their tongues obedient testimonies thereof the Birds of the ayre sing beasts of the field make a noyse even the hissiâ—gs of Dragons in the deepe are Psalmes of prayse unto God Praise thou the Lord theâ— with the best member thou hast which is thy Torgue the Eye is to see for all the Eare to heare for all the Hand to worke for all the Nose to smell for all and the palate to taste for all but the Tongue in the highest office is to sing prâ—ises to God for all it s every mans duety as a I must pray unto God so all must prayse God and as CHRIST IESVS carryes up thy prayers being perfumed upon him the true Altar on which they are offered so will hee doe thy Psalmâ—s of praise being winged with holy devotion this is thy heavenly melody the mirth of thy family aromaticall perfume of thy châ—mber an holy homage to God the sacrificed calves of thy lips If thou hast then beene a Mute and tongue-tyed in this duety though thou be opposed therein by th prophane world and Sathanstand at thy right hand as he did against Sacrifizing Iehoshua Zach. 3. 2. be now as a speaking vowell or at least a consonant to Stentorize the prayses of thy God even with a lowd voyce Psal 34. Continually while thou livest Psal 104. 33. Before the morning watch Ps 119. 147. At midnight and seaven times a day ver 164. Thy mouth daily rehearsing his righteousnes and Satvation Psal 7. 15. Let his Statutes be thy Songs in the house of thy Pilgrimage Psal 119. 54. Learne to tune thy voyce here on earth that thou mayst have a place among the Psalmodicall quier of Heaven acquaint thy heart with spirituall mirth sing Davids Psâ—lmes that thou mayest have Davids spirit it thou wilt not sing unto God take heed least in his justice he deprive thee of thy blessing of peace mirth and liberty either taking away thy tongue which hee made for the same purpose and the service of which hee requires or cause thee to sing his songs in a strangâ— land as he dealt with the Iewes Psal 137. for their vnthankefulnesse Lastly this reproveth the usuall vanity of flesh and blood First in vaine layes which are sung to the world Secondly lascivious Bâ—llads which are tuned to the flesh Thirdly Satyricall libels to the Divell All which are to exâ—lt and strengthen the three Goliha's and great enemies of mans Salvation even to sing praises to the curâ—â—d Trinity of Hâ—ll these are the fuming and fomenting nourishment to Luxurie the Bellowes to blow the embers of lust the Palate-pleasing meate of the Serpent their originall from â—odome not Sâ—on from Bedlam not Beth'lem from Bethaven not Bethel from Iericho not Ierusalem from the Tap-house not the Temple the well-befiâ—ting accoutrements and vaine garbe of the children of vanity And yet we see the world admiring flesh and blood inventing the Divell brewing and bâ—oâ—ching the Sonnes of the earth exâ—lting defending these hell-bred Sonnets having the packet of their braines so full fraught with them that they have left no roome for the Lords Psalmes What is this buâ— to bâ—ilâ— up the Kingdome of darknes and to make ungodly Proselites for the greaâ— Cham and Prince thereof These be Sathans watchfull Vaites which though they be esteemed as Augustine spake of the Donatists who in his time lived as Theeves but were honoured as Martyrs yet here they are condemned as the spuâ—ious off-scowring of men not praysers of God but Organs and Organous provokers and movers to all uncleanenesse And this is a Loidoramastick to libellers whose malicious tongues and pennes writing in blood as Draco writ his lawes are set on fire by Hell whose mouthes are like the gate of the Temple called Shallecheth out of which they cast the filth of the Temple So they the foule aspersions of shame upon the persons of the Innocent But consider beloved and learne by insulting over these rightly and holily to prayse God let â—o filthy communication proceede out of your mouthes least the Mouth the Messenger of the heart bewray an ancleane fountaine Evill words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. Ratio habenda est Sermonis cum non sit in eo parum momenti ad animuÌ„ afficiendum aliquo modo vel ad mores corrigendos vel corrumpendos Thy words worke not in vaine upon the affections of the hearers but either correct or corrupt their manâ—eâ—s It is onâ—ly the Word of God which is eternall life Iohn 6 68. which ministreth grace to the hearers Learne then to speake the language of Cannan Isa 19. 18. for a word fitly spoken is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver
dreames of nothing but peace making God the approoving Parron of his villanies and if hee were not acknowledged Heb. 11. 6. To be a rewarder both of the righteous and of the wicked rendering to the one honour glory and immortall life and to the other indignation wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 7. hee might justly be reputed as the wicked themselves but it is as possible to change and alter the nature and essence of God as for the obstinate unjust person to escape the instruments of death prepared for him Psal 7. 12. Even the iust shall reioyce when he seeth the vengance Psal 58. in the performance of this truth Consider then what danger it is to weare the livery of disobedience to treade upon the egges of a Cockatrice to hatch their poysonous egges which who so eateth dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh into a viper to weave the Spiders webbe Isa 59. 5. to have any thing to doe with the unfruifull workes of darkenesse but to inherite shame and confusion Be ye then like the kine of Beth-sheemosh drawing the Arke 1 Sam. 6. 12. though their calves lowed to them and they to their calves yet being yoaked to the Arke they could not turne backe so resolve with thy selfe that though thy calves thy brutish affections cry after thee and thy deareling sinnes like so many swarmes of Bees troupes of beloved friends or dearest children as Augustine confesseth of himselfe upon his conversion from a dissolute Manichey incompasse thee on every side for reentertainement yet being tyed to the Aâ—ke by thy covenant of obedience refuse renounce shake them off and cast them away as Ephraim his Idols If thou wilt needs follow thine imaginations which are evill Gen. 6. 5. and suffer thy selfe to lye sottishly chayned in the inchaunted Castle and fooles Paradise of sinne Pitching thy tents in the Bethaven and house of vanity drowned in the Soporiferous Nepenthick dregs of the cyrce and bewitching corruption of thine owne heart silencing the thoughts and vailing the eyes both of sinne and punishment the very visions of thy head will one day make the affraid Dan. 4. 2 an evill conscience will be unto thee as Iobs messenger Ioh 1. 19. a disasterous nuncio to torment thee Prov. 28. 1. cause thee to flye when no man pursueth thee smite thee with astonishment of heart Deu. 28. 28. Lev 26. 17 give thee the oyle of sadnesse in stead of gladnesse cause thee to say of laughter thou art madde when the best of thy comforts is buâ— from the teeth forward with Nero thou may est change thy chamber but not thy chamber fellowe for the eyes which sinne hath shut punishment doth open the whole world of the damned sufficiently testifying as we see in Bal tazar Dan. 5. in the time of Gods silence what a Iolly fellow he was God gave him a Kingdome Majestie and honour all Nations tremble before him he put downe and exalted whom he would securely carrowfing with hi Queenes and his Concubines his Princes and proceres in the sacred bowles of the Temple praysing the Gods of golde and silver but the God in whose hands his breath was he regarded not his counsels and hests he obeved not tell me now when his countenance châ—ngeth and his knees knocke one against another what an unquiet house is here when his Iudge is but writing against him with a little finger thus it is with wicked men in the time of their disobedience and Gods patience as cold congealeth together things of quite contrary natures as wood stones Iron c. till the fire come to dissolve them so the soule of man hath frozen together sinnes of all sorts and because man is Sathanically blinded God hath appoynted the fire of his judgement to dissolve them letting them see what a horrid confusion they have brought upon their owne heads and what a confused Babel and disordered heape of enormities they have piled and compiled together against the day of wrath the just Judge of the world is not like Phillip of Macedon who heard the poore womans cause while he slept and so gave sentence against her but true and just in all his sayings whether they be Menaces or Mercies even the word which I have spoken unto you shall judge you at the last day Iohn 12 48. Eodem constanciae firmitatis elogio ornabitur clementia veritas The mercy and trueth of God are commended in the same title of constancy and stabilitie both grounded upon himselfe if hee be thy Master then where is thy dutifull feare and if thy father then where is thy filiall obedience Mal. 1. 6. If thou expect his promises looke to thine owne vowe squaring thy obedience by the rule of his law which must be thy compasse Cynosure and loadstarre to guide thee to the inherritance which is sealed by his promises in Heaven to be the happy portion guerdon of all obedience respected more than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15 22. Eccles 4. 17. Hos 6. 6. Ier. 7 22. This unmeasurable truth of God teacheth us as dutifull children in this matter to imitate the father of truth in our awfull and lawfull oathes our promises and simple asseverations let truth be the character and image of the inward affection of our hearts and our tongues the true ambassadors of our Soules the mouth and the minde are coupled together in an holy Marriage Math. 12. 34. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and doth a fountaine send forth at one conduit bitter water and sweete water Iam. 3. 11. so when the tongue speaketh that which the heart never thought it is conceived in Adultery and he that bringeth forth such bastards offends not onely the rule of charity but infringes the inviolable bond of chastity makes a dangerous breach in that morall verity which is incomparably more beautifull among Christians than the farre-admired Helena was accompted among the Grecians for she crownes all those that dye her Martyrs The King is strong women is strong wine is strong but the truth is above all it liveth and conquereth for evermore 1 Esd 4. 38. Fidelity in keeping promises is a fruit of the Spirit and called Faith Gal. 5. 22. a property of him that is qualified to dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest upon his holy Mountaine Psal 15. 4. It is Gods owne precept Ephes 4. 15. Put away lying and speake truth every man to his neighbour it is our armour of proofe able to abide the fiery tryall to make truth our proposition honesty our assumption and conscience our conclusion In this wee are like to God himselfe whose wayes are mercy and truth hee whose soule is fraught with this may safely with undaunted boldnesse launch foorth into the depth of his enemies set saile and direct his course to the haven of Heaven to the father the God of truth Psal 30. To the Son which is truth it selfe Iohn 14.
6. and to the Spirit which is the spirit of truth 1 Iohn 5. 6. What shall wee say then of these spurious brats of Sathan which beare his image and superscription in their lying dissembling false swearing undermining ledgier-dumaine c. which have the deepenesse of craft in the center of their hearts whose sinne of lying goes not alone like the Raile but like the Partridge in covies coupled and yoaked with the Theefe as his fittest copesmate Zach. 5. 4. Let our Saviour CHRIST bee the Herald to derive theyr base pedigree and lyneall discent Iohn 8. 44. You are of your father the Devill he was a lyer from the beginning so are yee as like as one apple to another and how many of these Cratians Tit. 1. 12. which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes lyers Irijahs and false accusers Iere. 37. 13. bearing in his tongue the image of his patron which is called an Accuser Rev. 12. 20. How many covetous lying Gehezies which beare the marke of their infamous leprosies to their graves 2 Kings 5. 25. how many dissembling Ziba's 2 Sam. 16. 2. undermining the honest hearted Mephibosheth how many like the false and perjured Elders against the innocent Susanna in whose gray beards and grave heads should have shined the lustre and splendor of truth and honestie yet filled with in continency and perjury How many of such false witnesses as were suborned against our Saviour CHRIST Math. 26. And those perjured wretches which out of their venemous hearts and mouths belched out those false accusations and foule aspersions upon the sincere Narcissus sometime Byshop of Ierusalem Al which three were shortly after rewarded with the due desert of perjury how many of those monsters of men who in the dayes of that Virag the mirror of Fame of more than famous memory have not onely multiplyed and variated strange and hell-bred plots and Iesuiticall more than Italianated complots against her Sacred person crowne and Kingdome like those monsters in Affrica every day a new conspiracy but even after her death to cast the venome of their more then malicious spite upon her immaculate Virgin soule that rests with her God Nec mors mihi finiet iras Saeva sed in manes manibus arma dabo It is not death can end my endlesse wrath But Spite shall rake her ashes Envie saith Hence then thou sublimated malice among the infernall Spirits her incorruptible part is gone to God that gave it how many of those dogged Doegs 1 Sam. 22. How many Ananiasses and Saphyraes Acts 5. with thousands more which like locusts cover the surface of the Earth is not the Starre Wormewood fallen into the glassie Sea of this world and hath poysoned it the whole world lyes in wickednesse 1 Iohn 5. 19. There is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. Truth is parted from the Sonnes of Men Psal 12. 1. Every man is a lyer Rom. 3. 4. the abstruse Hypocrite thinkes all simplicity faulty and truth scarce warrantable Learne then beloved from aged Eleazer 2 Macchab. 6 24. who going to his death because he would not eate Swines flesh unlawfull to the Iewes profession was counselled for the saving of his life to dissemble faine the eating thereof but he considering his age his gray haires his Godly education c. answered It becommeth not our age in any wise to dissemble So a Christian bearing in his crest the Armes of Heaven being a Knight of the conquering order of Saint Vincent and of the red Crosse must not defraud his brother in any matter for God is the avenger of all such things 1 Thes 4. 6. neither dissembling in matters of Religion which is a capitall lye nor in civill affaires as being pernicious nor in the least kinde which may be officious for none of these are justifiable being layd in the ballance of Gods truth Quisquis esse aliquid genus mendatij quod peccatum non sit putarit seipsum decipit Hee that thinkes any the least kinde of lye to be no sinne deceives himselfe for No lye is of the truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. for the severall kindes of lying and dissembling reade at large Augustine de mendacio ad consentium Further that wee may be drawne to love the Truth let us consider the Iudgements of the true God against the enemies of his truth Psal 5. 6. He will destroy them that speake lyes him that in the one closet of his heart sees a dissembling lye and in the other Cabinet conceives the Embryo of truth Psal 55 23 Bloody and deceitfull Men shall not live out halfe their dayes Wisd 1. 11. The mouth that belyeth sleyeth the Soule Iohn makes it a marke of Reprobation Revel 21. last Whose portion is the flying Booke of Iudgements Zach. 5 4. and Revel 22. 15. Lyers are the blacke guests entertained in the same ranke with Murtherers Adulterers Witches Dogs and the Divels Machivistians which must be without and have their portion in vtter darknesse Nec artificioso mendatio nec simplici verbo opertet quenquam decipere quia quomodo libet mentitur quis occidet animam suam We must not deceive eyther by artificiall Lying or by pretended Simplicity for by what meanes soever a Man doth lye hee destroyes his owne soule Turpis est omnis fraus etiam in rebus vilibus Dissimulation in the least things is abominable See the all-just God justly punishing Vladislaus a Christian King of Poland and Hungarie because hee broke a Truce dissembling with Amurath the 6. an irreligious Turke with a great overthrow of 30000. at Berna a just revenge for perfidious dissembling The like may be seene upon equivocating Arrius who being called to the Councell of Constantinople that there hee might renounce his Heresie deceives those Fathers by a paper in his bosome in which he had written his Heresie swearing hee beleeved as he had written meaning in a divelish mentall reservation his hereticall position which hee kept in secret but see the justice of God following him at the heeles for presently after by the loosnesse of his Belly in the sodaine terrour of his Conscience sinne lying now at the doore hee empties his very bowels into the draught so taking his last farewell of the world a just judgement upon perfidious Equivocators and enemies of the Truth And I would to God that the maintayners of mentall reservation cunningly contriving their mixt propositions partly mentall partly vocall seeking hereby to delude the truth would looke upon and consider these Examples upholding that Monster which no doubt was first bred and brought to light from the darke Cells of the State-undermining Iesuits these Assassionates as they have severall and sundry many and manifold policies especially in the Elders and Fathers of that Order as hath beene discovered in their subterranious vaults in their severall Colledges so have they likewise severall Names in every new Christened