must not doe because we are not onely men but men of God If we doe to you as ye doe to us what do wee more than others In doing as you doe we are onely you equals but in forgiving you and praying for you we are your superiours And is it possible Are we so odious that we dare not look men in the face Why what is the matter Are we more wicked than others It may be so we are ready to say with holy David pardon our iniquities for they are great With St. Paul we are the chiefest of sinners It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed and because his compassions fail not However thus much we can say for our selves with a safe conscience and a great deal of truth And I would you could have said so too we never were the men that swore we would destroy our Countrey that contrived a trayterous seditious antiscriptural engine like Catilines conspiracy for the same purpose Our heads never plotted our Soveraignes ruine our hands were never washed in the bloud Royall we never had the marke of Cain in our foreheads we never obliterated the Holy signe of the Crosse with the signe of the scaffold Nay we were so farre from this that for the prevention of it some of us lost our estates others our liberties others our very lives and some all three and could they have done more I believe they were so loyal they would have done it And when we heard of our Soveraignes unparrallell'd never enough to be lamented death which God knowes we could not hinder or else we would have done it out of a Christian-like Sympathy we did seem not onely to sigh weep sweat bleed but even dye with him You glory in your shame and were it lawful to glory in any thing we would glory in this that we are accounted worthy to suffer as we hope for Christs name sake And now laugh on and enjoy your own follies Egregiam vero laudem spolia ampla refertis So much may suffice for the first Doctrine I proceed to the second which is this that the Disciples of Christ Christians should doe somewhat extraordinary somewhat more than others more than Pharisees Heathens Publicanes or any that say they are Christians whereas their actions tell us they are rather Heathens In the prosecution I shall use this Method first prove it by Scripture secondly by reason thirdly make use 1. That Christians should excell doe more than others doe somewhat extraordinary It is clear from these Scriptures Mat. 5. 20. I say unto you that except you righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wife enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Me thinks I hear the Jewes tell me what exceed the Scribes and Pharisees is it possible Surely if any doe goe to Heaven the Scribe must be the one and the Pharisee the other No such matter covetous men gripers oppressours Hypocrites meer outsides painted tombes never goe to Heaven during such However God in his goodness dispose of them afterwards Such were these Scribes and Pharisees which we Christians must exceed or else we shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Amos 3. 2. You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities You the Children of Israel which I brought out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage into a Land flowing with Milk and Honey You whom I have known by my judgements which should have taught you righteousnesse you whom I have known by my signal favours mercies you whom I have known by my faithful Prophets rising up early and fitting up late you whom I have known by my soul saving soul searching ordinances I knew you so well and so much that I seemed to know no other Nation unlesse it were to punish it I thought and expected ungrateful Israelites that you should have known the Rock of your salvation I did much for you and I expected that proportionably you should have done much for me but in that you did so little and would not know me I will make you know and that to your sorrow that you onely have I known of all the familes of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities I will punish you temporally though you doe repent I will punish you eternally if you doe not repent By how much your mercies and advantages have been greater than those of other Nations by so much the greater shall your punishments be There is an excellent place in Luk. 12. 47 48. And that servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew it not and comitted things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For unto whom much is given of him much shall be required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more In this Text we have a Lord and two servants the Lord is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the two servants they are not Angels but men for their quality the one was knowing and the other not knowing the one knew his Masters will the other did not they both committed things worthy of stripes but the one was more excusable than the other the one had many stripes but the other few and why both being faulty were they not equally punished Because they were not equally faulty the one knew his Masters will the other knew it not and therefore not so blameable Of these just proceedings we have an account given in the subsequent reason for unto whom much is given of him much shall be required Phil. 1. 27. Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel St. Paul writes to Christians to men that had embraced the Gospel and he requires a Gospel-like conversation And what kind of one is that A conversation full of simplicity holinesse peace unity charity not a Pharisaical not a Heathen but a Christian-like becomming conversation such a one as becometh both the Profession and Professours onely let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel So much may suffice for the proof of it by Scripture 2. Neither is this without reason That Christians should doe somewhat excellent and more than others for 1. They received God hath given them more than others and therefore they should give him more than others doe more than others Luk. 12. 47 48. Unto whom much is given of them much shall be required it is but just and equal that our returnes should be proportionable to our receipts Christians they have God for their Father Christ for their Redeemer the Holy Ghost for their comforter and teacher they are under the continual droppings of the Sanctuary they hear the shrill silver Trumpets of the Temple they are alwayes instructed by good precepts good examples good Sermons good lives tutord by Gods
Word workes judgements mercies providences nay even their very afflictions The whole creation serves them and surely they are blame-worthy if they doe not in a more eminent manner serve the creator Souls in some respect are like bodies some bodies are drawn in bright and orient colours as if nature had made use of a Sun beam for her pensil others are drawn in more dusky coale-like colours The brightest colours have aliquid umbrae and the darkest aliquid lucis If we look into the excellencies of the Soul those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those internal colours of the soul we may see the same God hath given some more glittering souls bespangled with light from the Sun of righteousnesse souls embroydred with all perfections here acquirable He hath been pleased to give others more sad and dark coloured Spirits as the brightest souls have somewhat of a cloud to teach them humility so the darkest have somewhat of a beam to keep them from discouragement and that others may not insult over them Those that have the brightest souls God expects they should shine like Stars in the Firmamēt Let your light so shine that men seing your good works may glorify your Father which is in Heaven God hath open'd the Scholars mouth therefore he exspects his lips should shew forth his praises The rich man is Gods Lord treasurer he is the hand of God and he expects it should be alwayes opened to the necessities of the poor and needy he should be like the mercies of God beneficial to the whole World at once God may accept of Turtle Doves and young Pigeons from the poor but he expects that the rich should bring their Plate Gold and Jewels to the Temple God expects that Bezaliels and Aholiabs that are cunning to work in Gold should not onely build or lay common stones but carve and polish the Tempe Eunapius calls a mean Scholar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a drop of Helicon and surely if a mean Scholar be a drop of Helicon a good Scholar is all Helicon or rather an Ocean of learning And if so God requires an Ocean of service from him an Ocean of service is but propottionable to an Ocean of learning Though the whole World besides be but as the dry heath and barren Wildernesse yet the Chuch is the Eden of the World the Paradise of God and in Paradise if any where God may look for Trees bearing fruit pleasant to the taste Christians should be men of better lives than uncultitated Barbarous Asiaticks Affricans Americans 2. The second argument is drawn from the nature of perfection Christians should be perfect if so thy must doe somewhat more than others for he that is more perfect in his profession than another doth a great deal more than he in it be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And can a man be as perfect as his Father which is in Heaven No there is a twofold perfection a perfection of of equallity and a perfection of similitude we cannot be like our Father as to the former but we may as to the latter We have onely somewhat like God in us as to every grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it be not many times so legible And he that would attain to this perfection must do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat extraordinary somewhat above and more than others That man that would have the World believe that he is one of the best Musitians in it his compositions must be more sweet rare and harmonious than other mens his judgement must be more solidd and piercing his hand must be more commanding he must be all ear and a man would say what ever other mens souls were yet his was nothing but harmony He that would be accounted a rare Painter must draw better pictures than thousands of ordinary Painters can he must so draw a man that it would be a hard matter to tell whether it were the man himself or his picture if any one should come into the room if he did not know the man very well yet presently salutes his picture as deeming it to be the very man himself if he cannot do so he disgraces his profession he doth not doe it to the life He that either really is or would be accounted one of the best Orators in the universe saies thus to his words Goe smite spirits wound soules captivate affections command hearts be victorious make sure of passions he steeres a congregation with an expression he never is look'd upon but either with an eye of envy or admiration or both and he that eyes his auditors gathers by their looks and deportments that their bodies nay their very soules have nothing else to doe for that time but like servants and willing prisoners to wait upon and attend his speeches And it is the great unhappinesse of the universe that it hath not one eare and that chained to his soule ravishing soule enthralling discourses And if it should happen not to be so 't is not because Rhetorick wants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat to perswade but because the Orator wants Rhetorick surely if a man had had the happinesse to have heard golden Mouthed sweet tongued Cicero though he had never seen him he need not aske who it was Cicero would have spoken it had been Cicero though he had spoken not a word about that thing Aristotle was accounted the best Philosopher in the world in his time because he did more than all others and wrote better hence is that deserved commendation of M. Hooker that he had discover'd allmost more of natures Mysteries in the whole body of Philosophy then the whole series of ages since hath in any particular member thereof The Christian that would be perfect must do more then Pharisees Publicans Heathens Ordinary Christians He is more Eagle-eyed in spiritualls then others his judgement is more solid and searching his thoughts are more orderly and harmonious his affections are more spirituall and Christ-like his whole conversation is more becoming the Gospell than thousands of other mens his whole life is nothing else but a continued Sermon He is full of Faith patience humility heavenly-mindednesse contentednesse mortification of sinne moderation of passion and he knows very well how to rule his tongue which is no small matter And were the Bible and all graces lost which God forbid we might find them all in him though not in their perfect degrees yet as to all their parts not only inchoated but above halfe finished If a Prince should offer him his Scepter he would refuse it as judging that nothing but heaven could make his condition better If he owes a man any thing though he be five hundred mile off yet out of Conscience he paies him and dares doe no otherwise If any one affronts him he forgives him long before he askes forgivenesse and though he did never aske yet he would doe so He never looks into the world but to look upon it
to fix on Lactantius tells us that Philosophy is nothing else but opinion And Austine in his book de Civit. Dei tells us that Philosophi sunt potins opinantes quam scientes Though Philosophy be nothing else but a heap of disputables a crow'd of it may bees yet Divinity should not be so Whether all things be made of Atoms or Aristotles principles it is not much material never soul was saved or damn'd for these opinions A great wit may find a way as probable as either But whether the soul be immortal or no whether there will be a day of judgement or not it highly concernes us to be sure of those things for if there be no judgement men may live as they list but if there be they must live as they should States men for the prevention of divisions have somewhat in Goverment indubitable and so should Church men if one Preach up universal redemption another Preach it down who shall the sequacious pendulous people believe me thinks having an unerring rule to square by we should agree in fundamentals at least wise if not in circumstantials 4. Necessary usefull Truths not Toyes Trifles barren and unprofitable Notions subtile speculations It should be the great care of a Divine to Preach those things that may make most for the edification of his Auditory he should shew them their damnable deplorable estate by Nature the True means of their recovery by Christ Preach about Faith Repentance Charity Love Humility Heavenly mindednesse Contentednesse Heaven Hell Death Judgement to come fully instruct them in the Lords Prayer and ten Commandements T is not impossible for a man to come here often and scarce heare a word of any of these This I speak not to disparage those that doe well but because I would have some doe better I could wish that the fundamentalls of Religion were more Preacht Proud men think it inconsistent with the greatnesse of their parts and sublimity of their wits to iusist upon these they are much like Angelus Politianus that would not vouchsafe to read the Scriptures because as he thought they did not containe elegancies suitable to his florid stile and Genius They think these things belong to men of weaker and slenderer parts they will exercise themselves in more refined and curious speculations they will Marshall the Angells and know what God did before he made the World who looks upon the Sunn but in an Eclipse who takes cognizance of the Moon but when Travelling a blazing Comet is more look't upon then all the regular stars in heaven the Kings dwarfe hath more eyes upon him then all the proper personable men that the King hath If a man Preach a solid substantiall peece upon some ordinary usefull poynt in Divinity we take no great notice of it but if some haeretick in Divinity preach a peece made up of meere staggering drunken probabilities present us with some spurious mishapen Brat of his own intellect which he can prove to be legitimate neither by Scripture nor reason this is cry'd up for a man of rare parts elevated advanced intellectualls So apt are wee Athenian like to admire nay even to adore Toyes and Novelties 5. Ancient Apostolick truths I do not mean here antiquity of a later standing such as the Papists pretend to but Originall prime antiquitie Old truths like old goverments are best Innovations in Church and State being equally dangerous Those truths are most Authentique that are as old as Christ and his Apostles An old truth like an old musicall Instrument sounds best in the eare of all good men Tertullian tells us Verum quod prius Adulterinum quod posterius It is good coyn that is first stamped and afterward that which is counterfeit The Husbandman first sowed good seed and then the envious man sowed tares This was the unanimous crie of the Councell of Calcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Ancient things prevaile Blessed be God which hath in mercy restored our ancient goverment both in Church and State 6. Particular applied truths Generalia non pungunt generall Truths never pierce a soule or wound a Conscience Generall truths like the Papists generall faith never save a soule It is not a loafe whole that nourisheth but cut and eaten Spices are never more fragrant then when they are broken Nathan tells David which I think little thought of it thou art the Man S. Peter doth not mince the matter but tells the Jewes plainly and piercingly that they had murthered Christ And what was the effect of this soul searching soul peircing preaching when they heard these things they were pricked at the heart and there were three thousands of them converted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was with them at if rapier points had been stuck in their spirits S. Paul might have entertained that Tyrant Faelix with some plausible discourse of the wonderfull birth life and death of Christ but he takes another course with him he reasons of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come and this made him tremble He opposed righteousnesse to his briberies Temperance to his adulteries and judgement to come to his outragious insolencies 7. Peaceable truths Ministers are the servants of the God of Peace Embassadors of the Gospell of Peace they what ever other men are should be men of Peace they should be like the Cherubins of the Arke look upon one another with propitious Aspects the good Divine should not only pray but Preach for the Peace of Jerusalem Rogamus non Pugnamus Auguste was wont to be the language of the Church formerly it hath no weapons but those of prayers and teares Popish was the practice of the Covenanters that brought us hither a punie upstart Mushrome yesterday Religion upon the poynt of asword and truly had their swords been no keener then their arguments I think they might have been soon blunted 4. I proceed in the fourth place to tell you some truths which I think to be suitable to and convenient for this Auditory 1. That Arts and Sciences should be subservient and ancillatorie to Divinity that the Hagar of Humanity should not outbrave the Sarah of Divinity it must not justle it out and take up the best roomes in a Sermon how then comes it to passe that many of your Sermons are stuft with all Arts and Sciences but Divinity How comes it to passe that instead of making the Spouse borders of Gold with studds of silver a great many of you make her borders of brasse with studds of Tinn and pewter Are they not like Onesilaus his head that instead of braines was full of hony-combes When the Persian King sent Antalcidas the Lacedimonian Captain a Garland of flowers perfum'd with spices and odours he tells him Rosarum fragrantiam adulteratione perdidisti so may I say to many of you Concioneis majestatem adulteratione perdidistis With admirable fitnesse did the learned K. Iames compare such Sermons to the red and blew flowers that pester the corne which were