heare of it but if it must heare of it and entertaine it too then the heart welcomes it as a man takes fire into his bosome indeed reformation comes into the world as the Lord Christ came to send fire on the earth It was so in all ages downeward to this day it will be so to the end of the world Luke 12.49 Behold Hee shall come saith the Lord. Who The Lord Christ what to doe To reforme His Church Mic. 3.1 He shall sit as a resiner and Purifier of Silver A gracious and a glorious worke how will it be entertained As a man welcomes fire and sword which must either purifie him or consume him who may abide the day of His comming and who shall stand when Hee appeares for He is like a refiners fire and like Fullers Sope. This refining worke is a searching worke and findes bad welcome in the world Looke we into the Church the Congregations there upon the Priest and his people how doe they fret at it though but one foot and comming towards them as if already cut to the very heart But I need not looke abroad nor unto others I will returne to my owne heart for there I can read all this SEGT. XIV If reformation be a defiling of Idols and the worke in hand then a man needs not goe into the Congregations to behold the cariage of the Priest and people there nor abroad to enquire what newes he may returne home to his owne heart and read the newes there I Can read the times now what newes is most stirring and and fittest to be enquired after and yet not move one step from the Idoll and my owne heart I can tell what is done in the great world by looking diligently what is done in my little world And the way I take must be this I must read Reformation and the processes thereof and what its demands are then I must reade in my owne heart how that stands towards it in its naturall posture And behold it stands in a posture of offence nay of defiance most contrary thereunto I will bring them I had almost said together but that is impossible to man to an interview that we may heare how they greet one the other what is demanded and what denyed betwixt them Thereby I shall make more then a conjecture what is done in the Kingdome what motions and contrariety of wills there Reformation tells me I must not walke according to the course of this world Ephe. 2.22 My heart makes answer that according to that course it will walke though it be according to the spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Reformation saith I must forsake the beggerly Rudiments and old customes such as were in Queene Maries dayes the heart answers she will not forsake them they are her lovers she hankers after them and after them shee will goe Reformation tells me I must worship God according as Hee hath commanded I must not make a mingle mangle in Religion I must not serve God partly as Hee hath commanded partly according to my owne understanding I must not mate the wisedome of God with my foolish conceits my silly inventions The heart answers shee likes her owne way and would heare no more of that matter for she is setled and resolved to serve God her owne way and to maintaine that way till she dies Reformation tells me I must through down the Idolls before my eyes My heart is pretly flexible here so it be but a stocke or a stone God hath given me reason I must shew my selfe a man it were a shame to stumble in a Sun-shine at stocks and stones But Reformation is not contented with this It goes on commands me to give up my two Idolls my ease which I love so well The profit and glory of the world which I dote upon Me thinkes I finde my heart mad upon these Idols Jer. 50.38 now they are demanded of me and my two eyes sparkle with rage rather then I will part with them My Plate shall goe and which should be more pretious a good conscience also My ease is more then my Plate and my credit in the world my chiefest Jewell Reformation heares not it stands like an upright Judge as doth the stalke of a ballance It demands as once Moses did All All my gods how pleasing how serviceable to mine owne ends how desirable soever how deare or neare no matter I must yeeld them up and my strong holds there the house of my Images and guardians thereof with my Imaginations and every thing that exalteth it selfe 2 Cor. 20.4 The heart will sticke here nay it will die here before it will yeeld offer the heart faire heaven and eternall happinesse it will not yeeld offer it foule hell everlasting misery it will not yeeld up its Idoll he will not suffer it to be slaine before his strong holds shall bee given up before his reasonings can give or take satisfaction As the Lord said Jer. 22.29 O Earth earth earth heare the Word of the Lord. It cannot heare no more can the heart it is desperately wicked who shall make a good understanding betwixt him and reformation Of this in the close Now we have seene at what a distance the heart stands to heaven that patterne wee are to bee conformed unto how it fighteth to maintaine his Idols which hee will not part with till he dyes Then wee may easily gather by the unquiet motions within what is done without if there be such motions in one mans little world what motions will there be in Cities in Towns in a Kingdom when Reformation assaies to go through the same to defile the Idols there If men will fret and fume and doe more because stockes and stones are defiled what will they doe for the Idoll in the heart to maintaine that in a posture of defence If defiling of Idols in one mans heart cause such a shaking what a terrible shake will it be when the Earth shall no more cover her blood but the men there must yeeld up their Idols to the Moles and to the Batts Reformation will cast a spewing upon all our worldly glory it will defile the three gods of the world honours pleasures profits for which the heart will contend till it die then the most stirring newes is warres and Rumors of warres Saint James resolves it so whence comes warres and fightings amongst you even of the lusts which war in your members There they warre first then they breake forth in the world If we could open the records of all ages and then put Saint James his question we must also make his answer our owne winds the windes from within us make our Sea so tempestuous The counfell is good calme it with your Prayers and resolve to throw out your Idoll * Fluctus maris tuis precibus mitiga Hier. Ep. 45. ult But that worke will cause a mightie contention While there is
strongly the more Reformation comes on 3. I aske againe are things set backe They are vvho sets them backe but they vvho should put to both their shoulders to the setting them forward It vvas so in ancient times Who set deliverance backe vvhen a deliverer vvas sent unto them but the Israelites themselves vvith their owne hands So vvhen the deliverer came forth of Zion vvho opposed Him The Rulers Joh. 7.48 Have any of the Rulers beleeved in Him The chiefe Priests and Scribes Were they obedient No All these opposed Reformation vvith all their power these professed themselves the most bitter enemies thereunto The Priests and Scribes they for the most part that Are we cannot say properly they live but are Vatia hic situs est non diu vixit sed diu fuit Sen. in Cathedralls Cloysters Colledges these draw backe mightily and cause others so to doe when Reformation goes forward So it hath beene in all ages whether not so now let others judge I vvill tell my observation and every mans that vvill observe vvhich is this Those places as that earth is under which the Mines of Gold and Silver are nothing growes thereon say the Naturalists for the use of man no not so much as a grasse for meate to beasts Then there must needs be a drawing backs 4. We may note that the Lord doth seeme to goe backe when He meanes to goe forward with might and power And when He resolves to doe the greatest matters for His Church He then so seemes to stand that the Church cannot easily judge whether He meanes to goe forward or backward whether He be for the Church or for her adversary Josh 5.13 when the Churches burdens were sorest then her deliverance was nearest when her groanes were strong because of cruell Taskmasters then Moses came and deliverance went on a maine and in full strength Then in the last place because 5. This falling to ruines first This setting backe of things is a great offence in our way Let us consider this with all our hearts that we may not stumble at it What setting backe is here Take it to the utmost extent that can be and yet it is no other but as the Lord Christ was set back in His way to glory He went on the left-hand as farre back as possibly could be before he sate downe on the Right hand of the Majestie on High To expresse it as well as I can The Lord Christ went a back-way to His Throne Ephe. 4.9.10 He that is now ascended up above all Heavens is the same that descended first into the lower parts of the earth A back-way to glory sure He was set-backe so farre as is the Crosse and that we sometimes call Hell and yet this backe-way was the ready way to His Crowne to His glory Can the Church dislike this way which Her Lord Christ hath gone before her in and paved out unto her though seemingly a backe and contrary vvay Certainly the Church and every member there must be made conformable to their Head even in their way to Glory They must be set backe and back and yet farther backe How farre backe Even to the place of Dragons they may dash upon hell it selfe that low bottome before they rise up to their crowne And yet this backe-way this unsearchable and admirable way though it seemes an uncomfortable way even as the shadow of death yet shall it yeeld as much comfort as can be conceived for the farther backe now the farther forward anon the lower the descent the higher the ascent It vvas the way that Christ went in before and all His must follow Him in the same way after The old and ancient vvay it is from the Crosse to the Crowne from the lower parts of the earth to the highest Heavens from Hell to Glory It is well with the Body the Church if she be as the Lord Christ her head But she knowes it is vvell vvith her Head yet He vvas set backe as farre backe as can be imagined and from thence tooke His rise to Glory It is the Churches vvay also a back-way and darkesome but in that way God is most glorious leading to the inheritance of the Saints in light The vvords fit very vvell and doe afford a strong consolation Luk. 24.26 ought not the Church to have suffered these things and to enter into her Glory This vvill give full answer to this setting backe if farther backe then yet things are The Church may be set-backe as farre as the gates and suburbes of Hell shee may be smitten into the place of Dragons and yet all this vvhile be in her vvay to her highest preferment 1 King 2.31 The Church can comfort her selfe in these vvords and vvill consider this vvith all that though a man hath beene smitten at the Altar vvhether he did flie for refuge yet it is rare to see a man smitten to death vvhom God hath truely humbled and brought upon his knees My meaning is vve doe not reade that God ever destroyed a praying people though things seeme to that people much set backe I goe on now for I must examine the Respects In respect first I. Of the greatnesse of distractions vvhich have divided us all one from another Not all Divide impera yet cursed be all that have so distracted us for thereby they bare rule and are multiplyed We say againe and say truely not all The good and bad stand out now and are as discernable as is the right hand from the left But joyned vve are now the closer together the Good vvith the Good the Bad vvith the Bad The good hold vvith the good never faster the Bad are joyned with the Bad never closer like the scales of the Leviathan they sticke together that they cannot be sundered Job 41.17 But into their secret let my soule never come Into their assembly mine honour be not thou united for in their anger they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruell Lord divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Amen Gen. 49.6 So much be said in Respect of our destractions The second followes In Respect of II. The multitude of Sects and Sectaries men are dided in their opinions so many heads so many conceits every man has his way 1. I answer first Sects there are amongst us not a multitude we hope and these that are the greatest part of them in my observation which is not slight are occasioned by the Liturgy which is called The Divine Service I forbeare but handle it and see whether it be not all flesh no spirit at all And the Lord looke upon this cause and the offence it hath caused and require it He will doe it Onely let this be remembred in the meane time that it may bee now as once it was Acts 24.14 After the way which some
the Ruler things must be done orderly by order from lawfull Authority Answ True and so he did not without or against the command of the Ruler the King of kings and Lord of lords The command is peremptory directed not to one but to the people Deut. 12.23 And you shall overthrow their Altars and breake their Pillars and burne their groves with fire and you shall bow downe the graven Images of their Gods and destroy the Names of them out of that place Marke how the charge runnes like a VVhirle-wind for it is against Images over-throw hew breake downe destroy Obj. But it is meant you shall doe this but not against the mind of the Ruler Answ I answer first when we have a command from above no command from below can counter-checke it His command who is absolute must stand according to His charge things must be done Obj. But in an orderly way not with tumults and noyse Answ Here was neither he did his worke neither with multitude nor with tumult k Act. 24.18 The noyse and tumult was the next morning and after night by those who maintained the Militia of â—…e Crosse VVe abhorre tumultuary courses heady and unwarrantable proceedings and have nothing whereof to accuse the Crosse enemies herein That which he or they did against it was done as was now said not with tumult or noyse but with as much discretion and silence as could be The Crosses friends they came with multitude and with tumult with a Guard and a Captaine both against all presidents of former Ages except in the case of Baals Altar They should have resolved as Jehu in the like case and said as he did 2 King 10.18 the person yesternight served Baal a little wee shall serve him much he tooke away the legge and thigh we will take away the whole bulke he pluckt off the Nose we will plucke of its head This had beene a worke for a Guard and Captaines and but according to former presidents Obj. But that which was done and that which is argued should have beene done that and this must have a warrant from the Ruler his Fiat first let it be done Answ Indeed it should have beene so and then it had beene done more decently and in better order How much to be wished that so it might have beene that the Chiefe and Prime Man in the Citie had beene the first that would have consecrated his hands upon the Image Exod. 32.29 Then things are done decently and in order to a blessing when the Ruler like a true Gideon goes before and bids his followers looke on me and doe likewise Judg. 7.17 VVhat hopes the man had that the Magistrate would leade him the way to the defiling of the Crosse I examine not but leave the world to judge certaine it is the Man saw that nothing did so crosse the Militia of the kingdome as Crosses and Images I must not call them Idolls yet out-facing God and His command there Therefore he would venture upon the tallest of them all and hazard his joynts to plucke off a limbe which the cunning Carver had put on VVho hath any thing to say to that His joynts are his owne and well hazarded in a matter so nearely concerning the honour of God It was a Zeale according to knowledge for ought wee can see and well ordered for ought I know or any wise man dare judge And it is to be thought according to the Rule of pure charitie and right reason that he feâ—… God and honours the Ruler as much and more then they that complaine of him and stand so stiffe for the Militia of the Crosse He waited patiently these seventeene yeares what the Magistrate would doe and observing him this yeare more ready to beautifie the Crosse then to defile it and such a fall of Idols and Idoll-shepeheards and yet the Crosse standing still he resolved to venture a broken shin and to play the Souldier so entred the Lists against Pope and Cardinall and the venerable Lady too And truely the successe was I thinke beyond expectation such as may assure us he had a power with him a watch and guard over him for he disarmed the Adversaries returned conquerour loaded with the spoyles of Miters Armes Noses Crownes and so by the benefit of the Night he got the day and is safe enough Let them that are grieved complaine It is a very small thing to him who complaines against him in that matter he thankes God the Law is open the law of Heaven he meanes and the two bloody Courts are shut He takes no more libertie now then before for he chose the Night to doe that which should have beene done in the Day time and before the Sunne But he knowes that which would have beene accounted a crime there is accounted a vertue now in the judgement of good men * Quae hic mala putautur hac sunt in coelo bona Lact. 5. 15. â—… and the Court of Heaven and thereto he appeales and from thence he hath his Quetus est in this matter And he is assured that when the Lord comes Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse and will make manifest the Counsells of the hearts hee shall have prayse for defiling that which God Himselfe 1 Cor. 4.3 and the soules of all the Godly doe loath and abominate And so much to cleare the person from the cavills of lewd men who hold up dead Images and throw downe the living what they can pittying the one and neglecting the other This could not be omitted here because the folly of such men must be made manifest who made an outcry now when they should have rejoyced and complayned not nor mourned when time was though they were called unto both for so David did he mourned for his enemies these not so for their Friends SECT VII Twenty Arguments to maintaine the Militia of the Crosse our men refuse them all create one of their owne It must stand because it is an Ornament THe chiefe and hardest worke is now behind and is like to cause a hot contestation The question is whether this pile of Images shall stand or fall The adversary puts himselfe in good hope and the thing out of all question The Crosse shall stand for he hath twenty arguments for the standing and maintayning of it in a posture of defence There is no Papist so silly and simple but if he can tell and is sure of it that twice ten is twenty he hath so many Arguments for the Crosse and the maintayning the Militia of the same But I shall not trouble my selfe and the Reader with any one of those Arguments for just reasons First because I am not to contend with rigid and professed Papists But with Protestants at large and in Name onely and they will not urge any one of these arguments for the standing of the Crosse indeed they are ashamed of them they are so ridiculous Besides