an uncomely sight unlesse the Apostle enjoine the contrary therefore 1. Co. 14. vlt. Let every thing be done decently and in order Now to advise what is comely and orderly in each Age and Place is left in the power and discretion of the Governours of each Church Visum est Spiritui Sancto nobis And the custome of each Church is peaceably to be observed by the members of it In a matter caeremoniall touching the veiling of women after some reasons alleadged which yet a troublesome body might quarrell with thus doth S. Paul determine the matter definitively If any list to be contentious 1. Co. 11.16 Nos non habemus talem consuetudinem nec Ecclesiae Dei As if he should say In matters of that quality each Churche's custome is to over-rule as from that place S. Hierome Ep. 28. and S. Augustine Ep. 86. 118. do both resolve It hath been ever thought meet saith S. Gregorie that there should be In unitate fidei consuetudo diversa that is the diversitie of customes should be in diverse Churches all in the unitie of one faith to shew the Churche's libertie in those matters And therfore the eating of things offered to Idoles wholly restreined the Churches of Syria and Cilicia seemeth in some sort permitted the Church of Corinth 1. Co. 10.27 in case no man did challeÌ„ge it And as for diverse Churches this hath been judged requisite so hath it likewise been deemed no lesse requisite that every person should inviolably observe the rites and customes of his owne Church Therefore those former ordinances which were not urged upon the Corinthians upon the Galathians within the compasse of the Regions where they took place as we see they were urged as the Fathers interprete those places under the paine of Anathema Gal. 1.9 which censure is due to all those that trouble the Church as those doe who for setting light by the customes and orders of the Church are by S. Paul concluded within the number of persons contentious and troublesome Imaginations touching the manner of deliverie For even in it also 2 In tâ—e 〈◊〉 of delivâ—â—y for failing men must imagine something that when they can take no exception to the matter yet they may itch after a new manner and heare it after such and such a sort delivered or they will not heare at all and therefore after their owne liking gett them an heape of Teachers 1. 2. Tim. 4.3 They must heare no Latine nor Greeke no though it be interpreted A meere imagination For the Apostle writing to the Corinthians which were Grecians hath not feared to use termes as strange to them as Latine or Greeke is to us Maranatha Belial Abba 1. Co. 16.22 2 Co 6.15 Rom 8.15 All which he might easily enough have expressed in their vulgar but that it liked him to reteine his libertie in this point 2. Nor none of the Apocrypha cited Another imagination For S. Iude in his Epistle hath not feared to alleadge out of the book of Enoch Iude 14. which booke hath ever been reckoned Apocrypha And by his example all the ancient Writers are full of allegations from them ever to these Writings yielding the next place after the Canon of the Scriptures and preferring them before all forreine Writers whatsoever 3. Nor any thing alledged out of the Iewe's Thalmud a third Imagination For from their Records S. Paul is judged to have sett downe the names of the Sorcerers that withstood MOSES to be Iannes and Iambres 2. Tim 3.8 which in Exodus or the whole Canon of Scriptures are not named As many other things in the new Testament from them receive great light And the Iewes themselves are therein cleerely confuted 4. But especially no heathen example or authority for with allegation of the ancient Fathers I have often dealt a matter which the Primitive Church never imagined unlawfull For Clemens Alexandrinus in Strom. 7. by allusion to Sara and Agar teacheth the contrary So doth Basil in a sett Treatise de legendis Ethnicorum scriptis and Gregorie Nyssen de vita MOSIS out of the XXI of Deut. by the rites touching the marrying of heathen women taken captive and last of all S. Augustine most plainly De doctrinâ Christianâ 2.40 And these all reckoned of the contrary as a very imagination Which they did the rather for that besides divers other places not so apparant they find S. Paul in matter of doctrine alleaging Aratus a heathen Writer in his Sermon at Athens Act. 17.28 And againe in matter of life alleadging Menander a Writer of Comoedies in his Epistle And thirdly 1. Co. 15.33 in matter of report onely without any urgent necessity alleaging Epimenides or as some think Callimachus And surely if it be lawfull to reason from that which Nature teacheth as S. Paul doth against mens wearing long hayre 1. Co 11.14 it is not unlawfull neither to reason from the wisest and most pithy sayings of naturall men Especially with thâ— â—postle using them as in a manner they only are used thereby to provoke Christian men to emulation by shewing them their owne blindnesse in matter of knowledge that see not so much as the heathen did by the light of Nature or their slackness in matter of conversation that cannot be got so farre forward by GOD 's Lawe as the poore Pâ—gan can by his Philosophie That if Grace will not move shame may II. Touching the Apostle's fellowshâ—p Imaginations touching the Apostle's fellowship For this doctrine received doth incorporate the receivers of it into a fellowship or Society which is called the fellowship or corporation of the Gospell and they that bring not this doctrine are no waies to be receiv'd thereto Which fellowship is not to be forsaken Ioh. â— 10 Heb 10.25 1. Cor. 11.19 as the manner of some is men of imagintions in our daies either because there be haeresies for oportet esse Or for that many at communions come togither not for the better but for the worse 1. Cor. 11.17 for so did they in Corinthe Or lastly for that many and many Christians walke which S. Paul wrot with teares as enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST Ph. 3.18 for so it was in the Church of Philippi Now it is plaine there can no Societie endure without government And therefore GOD hath appointed in it Governours and Assistants 1. Cor. 12.8 which seeing they have power from GOD 1. Tim. 5.19 1. Cor 8.12 to reject or receive accusations and to judge those that are within and of the fellowship it is an idle imagination that some have imagined to hold the Church hath not her Iudgement-seat Matt. 18.17 and power to censure her disobedient children It hath ever been holden good Divinitie that the Church from CHRIST received power to censure and separate wilfull Offendors Both with the Heathen-man's separation who might not so much as enter into the Church-door which
man He is the Way both Way and Guide too His Doctrine our guide His example in the whole tract of His life the very way thither Nothing remaineth but that we now set forward in this way For as we daily sing in the Benedictus He came not to whet our witts or to file our tongues Luk. 1.79 but to guide our feet into the way And into what way Not of questions and controversies whereof there is no end about which we languish all our life long but into the way of peace even of those duties about which there is no disagreement Looke but to this Feast it is S. Augustines note didicerunt Magi et abierunt docuerunt Scribae remanserunt The Wise men they learnt the way and on they went The Scribes they taught the way but they tarried still behind O do as did the Wise men dimittunt Scribas inaniter lectitare ipsi pergunt fideliter adorare let the Scribes sitt still and scan and read lectures of the way On went the Wise men on their way and performed their worship the end of their iorney and so let us This for Dux viae And this would serve for the way if there were nothing but the way if that were all But if there be enimies besett the way to stop our passage 2. A Captaine to guard us then will not dux a guide serve our turne we must have dux a Captaine then the second sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one to guard us and to make way for us For we are not only to be led surely without error but safely without daunger also Such a Guide we behove to have as will see us safe at the Place we would be at And Bethlehem breeds such Out of little Bethlehem came he that fetched downe great Golias And againe out of it this day He that shall tread downe Sathan under our feet dux Messias 1 Sam. 17.49 Captaine Messias as the Angell in DAN 9.25 calls Him Rom. 16.20 Dan. 9 25. And for qui pascet we may not misse that neyther For say we be guarded from enimies yet shall we goe our journey but evill if we faint by the way for hunger or thirst 3. A Shepheard to feed us and have not to releeve us He is not a good Guide that in that case cannot lead us where we may be purveyed of necessary food for our releife It is all one to perish out of the way by error and to perish in the way by want of needfull refreshing Saint Matthew therefore to make Him a complete Guide by way of supply adds Qui pascet Such a one as shall Lead more Pastoritio as a Shepheard doth his flock not lead them the way only but lead them also to good greene pasture besides the waters of comfort see they want nothing Dux qui pascet or Pastor qui ducet choose you whither for He is both Psal. 23.2 Of all the three the name of the Place He was borne in seemes to favor this most to be ominous toward qui pascet Beth is a house Iehem bread and Ephrata is plentie Bread plentie And there was in Bethlehem a well of such water as King David we reade longed for it the best in all the Countrey Bethlehem then sure a fitt place 1. Chro. 11 17. for Qui pascet to be borne in And Qui pascet as fitt a person to be borne in Bethlehem He is not meete to be Ruler saith Esai that saith in domo mea non est panis He can never say that Bethlehem is his house and that is domus panis Esay 3.7 and in domo panis semper est panis Never take Him without bread His house is the house of bread inasmuch as He Himselfe is bread that in the house or out of it wheresoever He is there is Bethlehem There can no bread want These three habilities then are in CHRIST our Leader 1 Skill to be a Guide 2 Valour to be a Captaine 3 and for Qui pascet Bethlehem the house of bread is His house Of which 1 Skill serves for direction 2 Strength for defence 3 Food for refreshing 1. Luce Sacerdotalis scientiae by the light of His Priestly knowledge So He guides us for the Priests lipps are to preserve knowledge 2. And brachio Regalis potentiae by the arme of His Royall power So He guards us Mal. 2.7 for Power perteines to the Prince Principally 3. And for qui pascet He is Melchisedek King and Priest Gen 14.18 ready to bring forth as He did bread and wine But in another manner farr then he did The bread and wine Melchisedek brought forth were not His body and blood CHRISTS are Both qui pascet and quo pascet As before Dux via the guide and the way So now heer pastor et pabulum the feeder and the food both You may see all this represented in the Shadowes of the Old Testament There is a booke there called Exodus of Israels egredietur out of Egypt Therein they had MOSES for their Guide and he led them to the borders of the Holy land and there he left them Heb. 7.19 Heb. 4.8 To shew the law brought nothing to perfection Then comes Iosua whom the Epistle to the Hebrewes calls IESVS the figure of ours heer and by his conduct they were led and put in possession of the Land of promise Ier 31.31 Heb. 8.6 All this but in type of another Testament after to be made saith Ieremie and upon better promises saith the Apostle Namely our Spirituall leading through this vale of vanitie Gal. 4.26 to the true land of promise the heavenly Ierusalem that is from above whither this our IESVS undertakes to bring all those that will be guided by Him Observe but the correspondence betweeen the type the truth Moses when he came to lead the people Exod. 5.12 found them how scattered over all the land of Egypt to seeke stubble for bricke to build him a City that sought the ruine of them all Our case right the very patterne of it when our Guide findes us wandring in vanitie picking up strawes things that shall not profit us Sap. 1.12 seeking death in the error of our life till we be so happy as to light into His guiding Secondly Moses was to them not alone Dux viae a Guide for the way but when enimies came forth against them Dux militiae a Captaine for the warr CHRIST was so too and farr beyond MOSES For He made us way with the laying downe of His life Esa 53 12. So did neyther MOSES nor Iosua Would die for it but He would open us a passage to the place He undertooke to bring us to Was Dux a Guide in His life Dux a Captaine in His death Thirdly MOSES when they fainted by the way obteined in their hunger manna from heaven Ioh 6 32. 1. Cor. 10.4 and in their thirst water
was But he goes on further and saith He did remember himselfe of Rahab and Babylon the Philistims and the Morians land for loe there He was borne Borne there How can that be Yes borne there and heer and every where where by this Praedicabo Legem He begets children to GOD. The power and vertue of His Birth reacheth even thither Every place that receiveth His law where ever it be even there He is borne This for His Birth To this Birth there belongs a Birth-right They talke much of the law The Birth-right as of a Birth-right but loe this heer is a Birth-right indeed and that veri nominis and amounts to more then a Childs part And it growes out of the double title or interest which He hath to all that is given Him For as He is twise a Sonne twise begotten 1 Ante luciferum and 2 Hodiè so hath He a double right growes to Him expressed in two distinct words in the next verse 1 one of inheritance 2 the other of possession or purchase for Ahuzza is true Hebrew for a purchase Of which two One contents Him His title as Heire The other He transcribes and sets over to us which is that of His purchase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hodiè genitus But we need not so much as to goe to the next verse for it Filius meus tu will serve Which was said twise to Him 1 Once at His Baptisme Hic est Filius meus Matt. 3.17 And so it is likewise at ours to us for therein we are made members of CHRIST and the children of GOD. 2 And againe Hic est Filius meus at His Transfiguration in the Mount Matt. 17.5 And we keeping the law of our Baptisme the same shall be said to us likewise the second time and when time comes Phil. 3 21. we also shall be transfigured into the glorious Image of the Sonne of GOD. And this is Lex factorum on His part this shall be done for us by Him This we called the Gospell of this Law What we to do for Him The dutie And what shall be done by us for Him Which is the law of dutie on our part required and which we called the law of this Gospell implyed in the two first words Praedicabo and legem Either word hath his condition First if he preach that we bestow the hearing of Him And then Legem that we know it is a law He preacheth and therefore so and no otherwise then so to heare it 1. Praedicabo Heare Him preach That we will be entreated to easily If that be all we will never stick with Him for that Nay Gods blessing on his heart for as the world goes we are now all for preaching 2. Legem But take Legem with you too It is so Praedicabo as it is Legem Preached and so preached as it is Law His Sermons are so many Law-lectures His preaching is our law to live by And law binds and leaves us not to live as we list And if that which is preached be law it is to be heard as a law kept as a law to be made our Lex factorum as well as Lex fidei If we heare it otherwise if we heare it not so if we lose Legem we may let go Praedicabo too and all And heere now we breake As a law Nay none of that The hearing we will give Him but soft no law by your leave Our case is this So long as it is but Preadicabo but preaching we care not greatly though we heare it but if it once come to Legem to be pressed upon us as a law farewell our parts we give Him over for law binds and we will not be bound Vpon the point we are fast at Praedicabo and loose at Legem Leave CHRIST his booke to preach by but keepe the law in our owne hands But to be short if we heare it not as a law heare it not but as newes if we bring our Sermons to an end Psal 90.9 as a tale that is told if that be all we forfeit all that followes all our part and portion in Filius meus and Hodiè genui and all By Legem what law is meant Now if you aske what law it is is heere meant No other but the law of these words Filius meus tu For Flius meus tu in the body of it carrieth the law That conteines all filiall duties which is the perfectest law when all is done For the law of a Sonne is more then all lawes besides For besides that it is lex factorum that a Sonne will doe anything that is to be done he will further doe it out of filiall love and affection which is worth all And this law indeed is worth the preaching It is Exibit de Sion lex Esay 2.3 the law that came from Sion Gal. 4.24 The law of Sinai that begins with Ego sum Dominus it is a law of servitude a law for the bond-woman and her brood Never preach it at least not to children That law is to give place and in place thereof is to come the law of Sion which we preach the law of the free-woman Gal. 4.28 Rom. 8.15 and the children of promise the law of love of filiall love proceeding not from the spirit of bondage but from the Spirit of adoption There is lex factorum in both But as Gregorie well expresseth it Si servus es metue plagas if thou be bond as Ismaël doe it out of servile feare for feare of the whip Si mercenarius expecta mercedem if thou be an hireling as Balaam do it out of mercenarie respect Sed si Filius meus tu then doe it out of true naturall affection performe all duties of a kind Sonne to Him that said genui te as did Isaac the Sonne of the free-woman to ABRAHAM Gen. 22.9 Phil. 2.20.22 that begot him even to the laying downe of his life None to Timothee saith Saith Paul none like minded to him for as a Sonne with his Father So hath he laboured with me in the Gospell So that is so freely so sincerely so respectfully as a loving kind naturall Sonne could doe no more And that is lex factorum indeed And so much for lex factorum on our part what we to doe for him the filiall duties the law of this Gospell 1. The time Hodiè Heb. 3.13.15 We lack nothing now but the time And as legem is the condition so Hodiè is the time We are willed by the Apostle to insist upon this word Hodiè to call upon men for this duty while it is called To day Not to deferr or put it of or make a morrow matter of it We are all inclined to be Crastini or Perendini for to morrow or next day or I know not when but not to be Hodierni Hodiè is no adverb with us for where shall we find one but will take
Or be not like sowre hypocrites looke not sowre as the hypocrites For they disfigure their faces that they might seeme unto men to fast Verely I say unto you that they have their reward OVR last yeares endeavours were out of the two first words Cum jejunatis When ye fast to settle a true conceipt what every good Christian man is to hold both of Iejunatis fasting it selfe and of Cum the time when And that not without great need the most part seeme so faintly perswaded of fasting as if it were no needfull part of a Christian mans duety And of the time as if CHRIST 's Cum did never come And this we did as for liberâsti animam tuam to deliver our owne soules so to deliver the Doctrine of our Church from a malitious slaunder cast on it as if it favoured any way the filling or farcing our selves at this no lesse then at other times and did not require and enioyne a more streict and penitentiall kind of life at this time then all the yeare beside Wherein if GOD have so blessed our endeavours that these two points be setled we may then goe forward to the rest that is Be not like hypocrites If we resolve that CHRIST 's when shall have a then and then fast we will The next point is a Caveat what we are to take heed of when we fast That we fast in secret make no shew of it Our fast be to GOD and not to men that we fast not for vaine glorie as Hypocrites doe I confesse I proceed to this second part as to that whereof there is not so much need And but that I take my selfe bound to prosecute the text I have begoon I would 〈◊〉 rather to spend the houre in speaking again for the duty to have it done then to deâ—le with the Caution what to eschew in the doing We cannot get men to it to fast wha◠〈◊〉 we then spend any speech how they should not do it when they doe it not We divided the Text into two parts One for fasting the other against hypocrisie As our times are there is more need to speake for fasting then against hypocrisie And yet against that too GOD forbidd that or any vice should be favoured but noâ— against hypocrisie in fasting There is little feare of that Men fast not like hypocrites when they fast not at all But you wil be pleased to call to mind how we then left and wherewith we concluded the last yeare That we must not think any thing more then needs in any speech of CHRIST'S That what we have received of the LORD that and no other thing And as we have recieved it of the LORD so and no otherwise are we to deliver it unto you And from Him we have received both Cum jejunatis and Ne Sitis the one as well as the other And so we sett forward to Ne Sitis sicut the Caution Yet so as our first caution ever be we omitt not to fast Not at other times but not at this specially when the Church or rather GOD by the Church her ancient order and custome calls us to it For when are we to looke to all this what time Why When we fast That when is still to be kept in mind to that we must come That the ground of all thither we must returne againe in the end We say then Cum jejunatis is the good seed-corne which CHRIST Himselfe hath sowen 〈…〉 All besides is but chaff to be blowen away And now He takes His fann in His hand to fann away this chaff For quid paleae ad triticum saith GOD in Ieremie wheat and chaff what should they do togither These must be severed One to be layd up in the Garner the other to be burnt with unquenchable fire 1. The fann in these words Nolite fieri sicut Be not like The chaff is in the word Hypocrites First then hypocrisie in generall to be avoyded 2. But heer is a speciall kind sicut hypocritae tristes Not sowre like hypocrites Or not like sowre hypocrites Not like them 3. Not like them wherein In two poynts upon which the fanne goes 1 Not like them in their Sicut 2 Not like them in their Vt. Not in their manner how Not in their end why 1 Not in their manner How Why what do they they are all for the countenance and that they disfigure In making it their labour to have it appeare in their countenance 2 And why do they so that so men may know them for fasters In making it their end to be seen of men These two He fanns away 〈…〉 4. But what if one could find in his heart to fast and yet would have men see it and commend him for it Ad quod damnum what hurt will come of it One would thinke none CHRIST sayes Amen to it They make it their reward to be seen of men Why it shal be their reward they shal be seen of men that is all they would have to come Why this one would never thinke a punishment But it is one And thinke it not a small one For though it seeme no great harme to receive a reward of prayse yet when we shall lay togither how poore a thing it is they receive Man's prayse And how great a one they lose by the meanes GOD 's reward they had better be without it For when they have that there is all all that shall come of their fasting Acceperunt suam amiserunt meam They have received their reward they have lost mine and CHRIST to say Amen to it This say I is sure a heavy punishment Therefore looke to it 〈…〉 And when the chaffe is blowen away and the floor purged when the old levin which is hypocrisie is cast out of the rest we are to make our sweet-bread now against the great Feast of our Passover we make ready for WHen we have got past the two first words when the thing is woon I. The Fanne Be not like and the time and we resolved that fast we will and when we will and we sett our selves seriously to it What is all safe Will the devill be gone his way Shall we heare no more of him as soon as he sees us so sett No indeed but hovers about us still as if there were yet somewhat for him to do Our Blessed SAVIOVR when the Spirit led Him into the wildernesse and He fell to His fast it is sayd that then the Tempter came to Him So we must make reckoning he will to us Matth 4.3 It is exceeding behoofull for us to take notice of this as they say to know the length of the Devills chaine That neither full nor fasting we are out of his reach but he wil be busy with us in them both Attends our Feasts to make a Psal 69.22 our table a snare Attends our Fasts to turne them as well as our prayers b 〈◊〉 109.7 into sinne Eating he is busy
works whereby we may die to sinne There the bread of GOD which shall endue our soules with much strength yea multiplie strength in them to live vnto GOD Ioh. 6.33 yea to live to him continually for he that eateth His flesh and drinketh His bloud Ioh. 6.56 dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him not inneth or sojourneth for a time but dwelleth continually And never can we more truly or properly say In Christo Iesu Domino nostro as when we come new from that holy Action for then He is in us and we in Him indeed And so we to make full accompt of this service as a speciall meanes to further us to make up our Easter daye 's accompt and to sett off a good part of our charge In CHRIST dropping upon us the annointing of His grace In Iesus who will be readie as our SAVIOVR to succour and support us with his Auxilium speciale His speciall helpe Without which assisting us even grace it selfe is many times faint and feeble in us And both these because He is our Lord who having come to save that which was lost will not suffer that to be lost which He hath saved Thus vsing His owne ordinance of Prayer of the Word and Sacrament for our better enhabling to discharge this daies dutie we shall I trust yeeld up a good accompt and celebrate a good Feast of His Resurrection Which Almighty GOD grant c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL On the V. of Aprill A. D. MDCVII being EASTER DAY I. COR. CHAP. XV. VER XX. Nunc autem CHRISTVS resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium But now is CHRIST risen from the dead and was made the first fruicts of them that sleepe THE same Apostle that out of CHRIST 's Resurrection taught the Romanes matter of duty the same heere out of the same resurrection teacheth the Corinthians matter of hope There similiter vos by way of patterne to conforme our selves to Him in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 Phi. 3.21 Anâ— heer similiter vos in another sense by way of promise that so doing He shall heerafter conforme us to Himselfe change our vile bodies and make them like His glorious body That former is our first resuâ—rection from sinne This later our second resuâ—rection from the grave This the reward of that In that the worke what to doe In this our reward what to hope for These two Labour and Hope the Church joyneth in one Antheme to day her first Antheme They sort well and being soong together make a good harmonie But that without this labour without hope is no good musique To rise and to reclaime our selves from a sinfull course of life we have long lived in is labour sure and great labour Now labour of it selfe is a harsh unpleasant thing unlesse it be seasoned with hope Debet qui arat in spe arare saith the Apostle above Chap 9.10 at the IX Chap. in the matter of the Clergie's maintenance He that plowes must plow in hope his plough will not goe deepe els his furrowes wil be but shallow Men may frame to themselves what speculations they please but the Apostle's saying will prove true sever hope from labor and you must looke for labor and labourers accordingly sleight and shallow GOD knoweth Labour then leades us to hope The Apostle saw this and therefore is carefull whom he thus presseth to newnesse of life and the labour thereof to raise for them and to set before them matter of hope Hope heer in this life he could set them none They were as he was himselfe at quotidiè morior Ver. 31. every houre in danger to be drawen to the block It must therefore be from another or at least as the Text is by a hope of being restored to life againe It was their case at Corinth heer in this chapter plainly If we must die to morrow if there be all that shall become of us then let us eat and drinke while we may If we be not sure of another life Ver 32. let us make sure of this But when in the sequele of the chapter he had shewed there was a restoring and that so sure he was of it that he falls to insult over them in these termes they gird up their loynes again and fall to their labours a fresh as knowing their labour should not be in vaine in the LORD This hope leades us to our restoring Ver. 32. Our restoring is but a promise shall be restored that necessarily referrs to a Party that is to make it good Who is that CHRIST Eccles 9.4 CHRIST is our hope Why hope is ioyned to the living saith the Wise-man CHRIST is dead buried last Fryday If He be our hope and He be dead our hope is dead too And if our hope be dead our labour will not live long nay both are buried with CHRIST in His grave It was their ease this day Luc. 24.21 that went to Emmaüs say they supposing CHRIST to be dead nos autem sperabamus we were once in good hope by Him that is while He lived as much to say as now He is in His grave our hope is gone we are even going to Emmaüs But then after as soon as they saw He was alive againe their hope revived and with their hope their labour and presently back againe to Ierusalem to the Lord's worke and bad Emmaüs farewell So He leads us to labour labour to hope hope to our restoring our restoring to CHRIST 's who as He hath restored Himselfe will restore us also to life And this keeps us from going to Emmaüs It is used proverbially Emmaüs signifieth a people forlorne all that are at sperabamus have lost their hopes are sayd to goe thither and thither we should all goe even to Emmaüs but for the hope that breathes from this verse without which it were a cold occupation to be a Christian. This then is the hope of this text spes viva spes beata worth all hopes els whatsoever All hopes els are but spes spirantium hopes while we breath This is spes expirantium the hope when we can fetch our breath no longer The carnall man all he can say is dum spiro spero his hope is as long as his breath The Christian aspireth higher goeth further by vertue of this verse and saith dum expiro spero Iob. 29 17. his hope failes him not when his breath failes him Even then saith Iob reposita est mihi spes in sinu meo this hope and onely this is layd up in our bosome that though our life be taken from us yet in CHRIST we to it and it to us shall be restored againe Our case is not as theirs then was No persecution nor we at quotidiè morior and therefore not so sensible of this doctrine But yet to them that are daily falling toward death rising to life is a good text Peradventure not when we are well
sweet bread all sinceritie and truth and hold their Passe-over in levin or not at all Antichrist's goat may be so eaten The lamb CHRIST cannot To the lamb's nature that is sincere nothing so contrarie as this 3. The leviâ— â—f comâ—anie â—â—rrupt in lasâ— to meane speake or deale vn-sincerely You see a levin of Doctrine and Life that is the levin of the Gospell A third there is the lâ—vin of the Epistle and that is of Corrupt companie and that is in very deed the lâ—vin of this Text. For when the Apostle would have this levin heere purged what meanes he To have the incestuous Corinthian removed and cast out of the fâ—llowship of the faithfull by the Censures of the Church True but those not in every mans power But this is To avoid and shunne them and their companie so we may and so we are bound to cast them out There is very great danger in persons so levined great scandal even to the well disposed but farre great danger to the most that will soone take this lâ—vin Our nature is apt to take it it is easily fermented that way As much good leviâ— as will serve three pecks so much evill will doe more then serve three bushells and never leave till it have sowred them all That except this be looked to all the rest will be to small purpose In Reliâ—ion Now when Saint Paul speakes of persons thus levined he meanes not onely such as are lewd of life tainted that way but even such also as are unsound in matter of Religion and have a soure savour that way Heere to the Corinthians he would have the incestuous person cast out Gal. 5 3.â— c. 9. with his levined life But to the Galathians after he presseth the same point against another kinde such as levined the Gospell with MOSE 's câ—râ—moâ—ies 12. and so corrupted the truth in Religion and them he would have cut of both Coâ—inthian and Galathian levin both must out And marke upon the same reason both and in the very same words That a little levin doth not a little hurt but otherwhile Gal. 5.9 maâ—reth the whole batch of brâ—ad Evill doctrine is against Truth Evill life against walking in the truth Evill companie will bring us to both Therefore away with them but away with this especially If they will not purge out their levin purge them out And that especially against this Feast in the nature whereof there is a contrarietie to all levin Now then this is our Conclusion Come we must and Itaque celebremus This is our Caution Thus we must come Non in fermento sed azymis If we say it skills not whither we come Itaque meets with us If we say it skills not how we come Non in fermento meets with us too It is with us heere as with â—he Prophet Hos. 7.1 when we would heale one the other breaketh forth If we presse Non in fâ—rmento we lose Itaque epulemur they come not at all No Feast If we vrge Itaque epulemur they come how levined and unlevined all clap them downe together We need a Quomodo intrasti huc to keepe some backe And yet we need a Compelle intrare Matt. 22.12 â—uk 1â— 23. to bring others in But the manner but the caution remember that The maine conclusion is that we come The other we must not leave undâ—ne But this peremptorily we are bound to doe The Apostle binds us to doe it The time to doe it now For if this follow CHRIST is offered Therâ—forâ— we are to come to His fâ—ast This wiâ—l follow as strongly CHRIST is now offered therefore let us now come Goe by degrees The Christian Passe-over our Passe-over a time it must have sometime it is to be kept We would doe it at that time when it were best for us to doe it When bâ—st for us to doe it but at the time He did it Himselfe And that did He even at this fâ—aâ—t now Now then at this fâ—ast it is most kindly to doe it most like to please Him and to prosper with us And indeâ—d if at any time we will doe it Quando Pascha 〈◊〉 in Paâ—cha what time is the Pasâ—e-over so proper as at the fâ—ast of the Paâ—â—e-â—vâ—r 〈…〉 quando tempus imâ—olandâ— When the time of His receiving as at the time of His ofâ—â—ring Therfore they both the feast the lamâ— have onâ— nâ—me to shew the neer coniunction that should be betweene them When the daâ— câ—mmeth to remember what was done on the day and so what we to doe on that day Pasâ—â—a quod celâ—bramus to put us in minde of Pascha quod epulamur For tell me will the saâ—rifiâ—e commâ—moâ—ative or the sacrament communicative ever fall more fit then when that was offâ—red which we are to commemorate and to comâ—unicate withall Is not the fittest time of doing it the time when it was done of Hoc facite then when Hoc factum est So that without any more adoe the seâ—son it selfe pleadeth for this effectually And now is the time of Exâ—uâ—gaâ—e for our â—odies thâ— corrupt humours that levin it now we cast them out Anâ— why not now likewise tâ—ose that ly sâ—urâ— in our soules And even Nature's Paâ—â—e-oâ—â—r the genâ—rall Pâ—â—e-ovâ—â— is even at thiâ— time both in heaven and earth Above in heavâ—n where the 〈◊〉 haâ—ing 〈◊〉 over all the sigâ—es is come about and renewes his course at the first signe in the 〈◊〉 And beneâ—th in earth from the sharp time of winter and fâ—rmentiâ—g time of the eâ—rth to the râ—newing sweet time the time of the Sâ—â—ing wherein thâ—re is 〈…〉 in nâ—ture it selfe And why should not the Passâ—-over of grace be now likâ—wiâ—e in sâ—ason and have due concurrence with nature Sure all agree wâ—ll if we but agree our selves Anâ— if we agree for our parts to doe the daye 's duty CHRIST will not be behind with His tâ—e day's benefit But during our time and in the hower of death be our true Passâ—-ovâ—r shielding us from all deadly mis-happs while we heere live and giving us a sure and safe passage at our end even a passage to the last and great Paâ—se-over of all the truth of that whâ—reof theirâ— was the shaddow and ours the image now For we have not yâ—t done with our Laâ—b nor the work of this Paâ—se-ovâ—r is not yet fully accomplished There is a further matter yet behind for as this feast looâ—eth back as a mâ—â—oriall of that is alreadie past and done for us so doth it forward and is to us a plâ—dge of another and a better yet to come The fâ—ast of the marriagâ— of the Lamb heer Apoc 19.7 that is our Paâ—se-over where whosoever shall be a guest the Angells pronounce hâ—m happie and blâ—ssed for ever 9. That is the last and great Feast indeed when all Destroyers and all destructions shall cease and come to an â—nd for evermore and we heare that joyfull voice
erre in their imaginations no lesse and that even against the same places First against Orabo spiritu 1. Cor. 14.15 in the same verse by finding fault with a sett Liturgie which they call stinted prayers and giving themselves to imagine prayers at the same instant whereby it is plaine they so occupie their minds with devising still what to say next their spirit is unfruictfull Mat. 23.14 no lesse then the other's understanding And both these 1 the understanding of the minde 2 and the affection of the spirit are there necessarily required And again that instead of Rosaries and a number of prayers they bring in the Pharise's imagination of long prayers that is a prayer as long as a whole Rosarie And this they take to be a great part of holynesse but indeed it is nothing but the former superstition drawen in backward In which who so markes them shall find they committ both faults that of the Pharisee in taedious length procuring many times nauseam spiritus a dangerous passion and the other of the Heathen in fond repetitions tautologies inconsequences and all the absurdities that may fall into such manner of speech Saint Cyprian faith It was ever in Christ's Church counted an absurd thing which some count their glorie ventilari preces inconditis vocibus The absurditie whereof would better appeare if seeing under prayers heere Psalmes and spirituall songs are conteined both being parts of invocation they would have no stinted Psalmes but conceive their songs too upon the present out of the spirit and so sing them For to say truth ther is no more reason for the one then for the other But GOD's Church hath ever had as a forme of doctrine both of faith in the Creed and of life in the Decalogue so of prayer too Which from Acts 13.2 the Fathers in all ages have called a Liturgie or service of GOD. These are of many imaginations some set up and magnified by some and by others adored and worshipped under the names of the 1 Apostle's Doctrine 2 Governement 3 Sacraments and 4 Prayers Saint Stephen telleth us out of the fift of Amos that if we doe thus make to our selves Tabernacles and figures to worship them our punishment shal be to be carryed away beyond Babylon Acts 7.43 And good reason for these idle phansies are not from Christ's Church from Sion but from Babylon they came and if we delight in them thither shall we be caâ—ryed And sâ—re we are in a good way thitherward for of Babel Saint Augustine faith Civitas illa confusionis indifferent habuit Philosophos interje diversa adversa sentientes In GOD's citie it was never so there was ever correction for Coyners 18. de Civit. Dei But in Babel the Citie of confusion every Philosopher might set up as now every Sect-master may broach any imagination that taketh him in the head without punishment For in Babel it is reckoned but an indifferent matter Sure the Prophets tell us that if Babylon's confusion goe thus before the captivitie of Babylon is not farr behinde From which Almightie GOD deliver us and make us carefull as to continue the Apostle's doctrine c So neither to engrave nor to bow downe and worship any of these imaginations Amen One of the Sermons upon the III. COMMANDEMENT PREACHED IN THE PARISH Church of S t. GILES Cripplegate Iun. XI AN. DOM. MDXCII IEREM CHAP. IV. VER II. Et jurabis vivit DOMINVS in veritate in judicio in justitia And thou shalt sweare the LORD liveth in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse OF this Commandement there are two maine Propositions 1 Thou shalt take the Name of GOD Els it should have beene thou shalt not take it at all 2. Thou shalt take it orderly and not in vaine Of the first thou shalt take it to those ends and uses to which GOD lendeth it Of which one is Thou shalt sweare by it which is limited by two waies First by what The Lord liveth Secondly how In truth iudgement iustice As in the former Commaundements so in this there be two Extremes 1. The one of the Anabaptists which hold all swearing unlawful contrarie to the first Thou shalt sweare 2. The other of the licentious Christian which holds at least in practise A man may sweare how and in what sort he lift By Creatures c Contrarie to The Lord liveth c Falsly rashly lewdly Contrarie to In truth iudgement iustice I. Thou shalt sweare That it is lawfull to sweare it appeareth by the Law Deut. 6.13 By the Prophets Ieremie heere Esai Chap. 45. Ver. 23. more earnestly I have sworne by My Selfe the word is gone out of My mouth and shall not returne That every knee shall bow to Me every tongue shall sweare by Me. David Psal. 63. ult Laudabuntur omnes qui iurant per Eum. By the practise of the Saints not only under Moses but under the Law of Nature Abraham sweareth Gen. 21.24 Isaac sweareth Gen 26.31 Iacob sweareth Gen. 31.33 Now our Saviour Christ came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets in those things wherin they agree with the Law of Nature Therefore not to take away an oath Whereas they object first That it standeth not with Christian profession but was tolerated as an unperfect thing under the Law We answere It cannot be reckoned an imperfection to sweare For that not onely Abraham the patterne of humane perfection both sware himselfe Gen. 21.24 and put his servant to an oath Gen. 24.3 But even the Angels neerer then we to perfection sware both under the Law Dan. 12.7 and under the Gospell Apoc. 10.6 And not onely they but even God himselfe in whom are all perfections Gen. 22.16 and Psal. 110.4 So that it cannot be imagined an imperfection Besides the holy Apostles the most perfect Christians have in urgent causes done the like 2. Corinth 1.23 I call God for a record against mine owne soule and 1. Cor. 15.31 By our reioicing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord which place cannot be avoided having in the Greeke the word Nη never used but in an oath onely Whereas secondly they object our Saviour's saying I say unto you sweare not at all The Auncient Writers answere that our Saviour Christ in the very same place not reproving the other part Reddes autem Domino iuramenta tua meant not to take all oathes away But must be understood according to the Pharisee's erroneous glosse of this Commandement which he entended to overthrow by opposing to dictum est antiquis Ego autem dico Which was of two sorts 1. For first it seemeth they understood it of periurie alone So that if a man forsware not himselfe he might sweare any oath And so Christ reproveth not onely false but all rash and unadvised swearing 2. Secondly it seemeth they had this conceipt So a man sware not by the great Name of God all was well He might sweare by any creaâ—ure at his pleasure and
CHâ—IST 's garments why redd You see how CHRIST 's garments came to be redd Of the wine-presse that made them so we have spoken but not of the colour it selfe A word of that too It was His colour at His Passion They put Him in purple then it was His weed in derision and so was it in earnest Both râ—dd it was it selfe and so He made it more with the die of His owne blood And the same colour He is now in againe at His Rising Not with His owne now but with the blood of the wounded Edomites whom treading under His feet their blood besteined Him and His apparell So one and the same colour at both Dying and Rising in redd but with difference as much as is between His owne and His enemies blood The Spouse in the Canticles asked of her Beloued's colours saith of Him My beloved is white and redd whitâ— of His owne proper So He was when He shewed himselfe in kind Cant. 5.10 Mat. 17 2. Mar. 9 3. transfigured in the Mount His apparell then so white no fuller in the earth could come neer it White of himselfe how comes he redd then Not of himselfe that but for us That is our naturall colour we are borne polluted in our owne blood Lam 4.14 It is sinne 's colour that for shame is the colour of sinne Our sinnes saith ESâ—I Esa. 1.18 Chap. 1. are as crimsin of as deep die as any purple This the true â—incture of our sinnes the Edomiâ—es colour right for Edom is redd The tincture I say first of our sinne originall died in the wooll and then againe of our sinnes actuall died in the cloth too Twise died so was CHRIST twise Once in His owne againe in His enemies right dibaphus a perfect full colour a true purple of a double die His too So was it meet for crimsin sinners to have a crimsin Saviour a Saviour of such a colour it behooved us to have Comming then to save us off went His White on went our Redd layd by His owne righteousnesse to be clothed with our sinne He to weare our colours that we His. He in our Redd that we in His white So we find Apoc. VII our robes are not onely washed cleane but died a pure white in the blood of the Lambe Yea Apoc. 7.14 He died and rose againe both in our colours that we might die and rise too in His. We fall now againe upon the same point in the colours we did before in the cupps He to drinke the sowre vinegar of our wild grapes that we might drinke His sweet in the cup of blessing O cup of Blessing may we say of this cup O stolam formosam of that colour Illi gloriosam nobis fructuosam glorious to Him no lesse fruitfull to us He in mount Golgotha like to us that we in Mount Tabor like to Him This is the substance of our rejoycing in this colour One more how well this colour fits Him in respect of His two titles From loquens justitiam as a Doctor Loquens justitiam and Multus ad servandum Loquens justitiam is to weare redd Potens ad servandum is so too The first To whom is this colour given Scarlet is allowed the degree of Doctors Why for their speaking righteousnesse to us the righteousnesse of GOD that which CHRIST spake Nay even they which speake but the righteousnesse of mans Law they are honoured with it too But CHRIST spake so as never man spake and so call ye none on earth Doctor but one Ioh 7 46. none in comparison of Him So of all He to weare it This ye shall observe in the Revelation at the first appearing of the Lambe there was a Booke with seven seales No man would meddle with it the Lambe tooke it opened the seales readd it readd out of it a Lecture of righteousnesse to the whole world the righteousnesse of GOD Reu. 5.6 that shall make us so before Him Let Him be arrayed in scarlet it is His due His Doctor 's weed This is no new thing The Heathen King propounded it for a reward to any that could read the hand-writing on the wall DANIEL did it and hat it Sed ecce major Daniele hic Thus was it in the Law This colour was the ground of the Ephod a principall ingredient into the Priest's vesture Why For Dan. 5.7 his lipps were to preserve knowledge all to require the Law from his mouth And indeed Mat. 2 7. the very lipps themselves that we speake righteousnesse with are of the same colour In the Canticles it is said his lipps are like a scarlet threed And the fruict of the lipps hath GOD created peace and the fruict of peace is sowen in righteousnesse and till that be sowen and spoken never any hope of true peace Can 4.3 Enough for speaking What say you to the other Potens ad servandum 2 From potens ad servandum as a Captaine which of the twaine seemes the more proper to this time and place I say that way it fitts Him too this colour Men of warre great Captaines mighty to save us from the enemies they take it to themselves and their colour it is of right A plaine text for it Nah. II. Their valiant men or Captains are in scarlet And I told you Nahum 2 3. Dan. 9.15 CHRIST by Daniel is called Captain MESSIAS and so well might So in His late conflict with Edom He shewed himselfe fought for us even to blood many a bloudy wound it cost Him but returned with the spoile of His enemies steined with their blood And who so is hable so to do is worthy to wear it So in this respect also so in both His colours become Him well Shall I put you in mind that there is in these two in either of them a kind of wine-presse In mighty tâ— save it is evident Troden in one presse treading in another Not so evident in the speaking of righteousnesse Yet even in that also there is a presse going For when we read what do we but gather grapes heer and there and when we studie what we have gathered then are we even in torculari and presse them we do and presse out of them that which daily you tast off I know there is great odds in the liquors so pressed Iudges 8.2 and that a cluster of Ephraim is worth a whole vintage of Aâ—IEZEâ— but for that every man as he may Nay it may be further said and that truely that even this great title Mighty to save comes under loquens justitiam There is in the word of righteousnesse a saving power Take the word saith S. IAMES graft it in you Iam. 1.21 it is hable to save your soules even that wherein we of this calling 1. Tim. 4.16 in a sort participate with CHRIST while by attending to reading and doctrine we save both our selves and them that heare us we tread downe sinne and save
sinners from seeking death in the error of their life But though there be in the Word a saving power yet is not all saving power in that nor in that onely there is a presse beside For this presse is going continually among us but there is another that goes but at times But in that it goes at such times as it falls in fitt with the wine-presse heer Nay falls in most fitt of all the rest For of it comes very wine indeed the blood of the grapes of the true Vine which in the blessed Sacrament is reached to us and with it is given us that for which it was given even remission of sinnes Not onely represented therein but even exhibited to us Both which when we partake then have we a full and perfect communion with CHRIST this day of His speaking righteousnesse in the Word preached of His power to save in the holy Eucharist ministred Both presses runn for us and we to partake them both I may not end till I tell you there remaineth yet another a third Wine-presse that you may take heed of it I will but point you to it it may serve as soure herbs to eat our Paschall Lambe with Mat. 28.2 The Sun they say danced this morning at CHRIST 's resurrection the earth trembled then I am sure there was an earthquake at CHRIST 's rising Psal. 2.11 So there is trembling to our joy Exultate in tremore as the Psalmist wills us The vintage of the earth when the time of that is come and when the grapes be ripe and ready for it Apoc. 41.18.19 20. One there is that crieth to him with the sharpe sickle in his hand Apoc. XIIII to thrust it in cutt off the clusters and cast them into the great Wine-presse of the Wrath of GOD. A dismall day that a pitifull slaughter then It is there said the blood shall come up to the hors ebridles by the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs Keep you out take heed of comming in that presse We have a kind Item given us of this heer in the text in the last verse There be two acts of CHRIST Ver 4. one of being troden the other of treading downe The first is for his chosen the other against his enemies One is called the Yeare of Redemption The other the Day of Vengeance The Yeare of Redemption is already come and is now we are in it during which time the two former wine-presses runne 1 of the Word 2 and Sacrament The Day of vengeance is not yet come It is but in his heart so the text is that is but in his purpose and intent yet But certainely come it will that day and with the day comes the last wine-presse with the blood to the bridles yer it come and during our yeare of redemption that year's allowance we are to endeavour to keep our selues out of it for that is the day of vengeance of ira ventura GOD 's wrath for ever So as all we have to studie is how we may be in at the first two out at the last presse and the due christian use of the first will keep us from the last Psal. 95.7 While then it is with us the year of Redemption and before that day come while it is yet time of speaking righteousnesse that is to day if ye will hear His voice while the cup of blessing is held out if we will take it lay hold on both That so we may be accounted worthy to escape in that day from that day and the vengeance of it and may feele the fulnesse of His saving power in the word engrafted which is hable to save our soules and in the cup of salvation which is joyned with it and that to our endlesse joy The yeare of redemption is last in the verse with that the Prophet ends With that let us end also and to that end may all that hath been spoken arrive and bring us A SERMON PREPARED to be Preached on EASTER day A. D. MDCXXIV HEBR. CHAP. XIII DEVS autem pacis c. VER 20. The GOD of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great Shepheard of the Sheepe through the blood of the everlasting Testament 21. Make you perfect in all good workes to do His will working in you that which is pleasant in His sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for ever and ever Amen THESE words who hath brought CHRIST againe from the dead make this a Text proper for this Day For as this day was CHRIST brought againe from thence And these words the blood of the everlasting Testament make it as proper every way for a Communion For there at a Communion we are made to drinke of that blood Put these together The 1 bringing of CHRIST from the dead 2 and the blood of the Testament and they will serve well for a Text at a Communion on Easter-day I will touch in a word 1 the Nature of the Text 2 the Summe and 3 the partition of it For the Nature It is a Benediction The use 1. The Nature of the Text. the Church doth make of it and such other like is to pronounce them over the Congregation by way of a blessing For not onely the power to pray to preach to make and to give the Sacrament but the power also to blesse you that are GOD 's people is annexed and is a branch of our of the Priest's Office You may plainely read the power committed the act enjoyned and the very forme of words prescribed all in the VI. of Numbers Num. 6.23 There GOD saith Thus shall you blesse the people that is doe it you shall and thus you shall doe it in haec verba Neither was this act Leviticall or then first taken up It was long before Chap 7.10 While Levi was yet in the loynes of Abraham even then it was a part of Melchisedek's Priesthood and if the bread and wine were no more but a refreshing the onely part that we read of to say Benedictus over Abraham as great a Patriarch as he was There is nothing els mentioned to shew he was as a Priest but that This blessing they used first and last but rather last For lightly then the people were all togither They be not so at first but onely a few then And heere you see the Aposâ—le makes it his farewell With this he shutts up his Epistle and with some other such all the rest And that by CHRIST 's example The last thing that CHRIST did in this world Luk. 24 50. was He lift up his hands blest his Disciples and so went away to heaven And so you shall find it was the manner in the Primitive Church at the end of the Liturgie ever to dismisse the assembly with a blessing Which blessing they were then so conceited of they would not offer to stirr not a man of them till bowing downe their heads they had the blessing