THE SPIRITVALL ARCHITECTVRE OR The Balance of Gods Sanctuary to discerne the weight and solidity of a true and sincere from the Leuitie and vanitie of a false and counterfeit profession of Christianity Wherein also the sandy foundations of the Papisticall faith are briefely discouered A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the 16. of Nouember 1623. by ROBERT BARRELL Master of Arts and Minister of Gods word at Maidstone in Kent For we are labourers together with God ye are Gods husbandry and Gods building 1. Cor. 3.9 Si audire vis non facere adificas sed ruinam aedificas ruina tua te tollit ergo vna est securitas aedificare supra Petram aedificare Aug. Tract 7. in Iohannem Printed at London by Augustine Matthewes and Iohn Norton 1624. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY THE diuine Prouidence Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane one of the Lords of his Maiestes most Honourable Priuy Councell my very singular good Lord. Most Reuerend Father in God IT may bee thought too high a praesumption and that not altogether vniustly that I should seeke to shroud these my poore Labours vnder the roofe of your Gracious Patronage which I doe not out of any confidence of the worth of them for alasse I am too conscious to my owne wants to bee so arrogantly presumptuous but out of the Conscience of that great obligation wherein I stand bound vnto your Grace for your Graces manifold vndeserued fauours whereof I humbly desire to make this publique acknowledgement It is a ruled case in the Ciuill Law mancipato Patre mancipantur filii the Children are inuolued with their Father in the same engagement and the Fruits doe of best right appertaine to him that is owner of the Field To whom then should this my poore Orphant and these fruits of my poore Labours more rightly appereain then to your Grace vpon whom I haue such an especiall dependance in the Place where I liue and to whom I most deseruedly owe my selfe and the best of my poore Seruice Moreouer the whole English Clergy whereof I am a poore vnworthy member and the whole Church of England and Cause of Religion owes much vnto your Grace whereof vnder our most Religious Learned and gracious Soueraigne you are a maine Pillar and Spporâ—er not onely by your vigilant eye of circumspection in gouerning this Church according to your high place but by your zealous tongue in Preaching and learned Pen in writing I write not this to flatter your Grace for besides that my nature abhorres such basenesse he needs no false and flattering praises that abounds with true and St. Cyprian saith truly A good Conscience neither desires praise nor feares accusations Epist 31. For my part I should not haue presumed to publish to the world these my poore Labours which doth occasion mee humbly to craue your Graces Patronage but that in these dayes wherein so many Babilonish Tobiahs and Sanballats seeke by all meanes to hinder and if they could to ruine it euery true hearted Israelite that can lay but one stone to further the building of Gods Temple the walls of his Ierusalem must not sit idle Seing therefore your Grace is heerein a Maister-builder vouchsafe I beseech you your gracious approbation of this little Stone that I haue hewen to lay in this Building and your Noble Patronage of me and my poore Labours though the meanest of those that serue at Gods Altar for euen the Sunne in the Firmament shines aswell on the low Shrub as the tall Cedar and sends his bright and glorious beames aswell into the poore-mans Cottage as the Noble-mans Pallace which if your Grace shall vouchsafe to doe you shal therby encourage me to the vtmost of my poore power and skill to bee still hewing more Stones for this Building and binde me euer as already you haue done to be a dayly Suitor and earnest Solicitor to the highest Throne of grace and mercy that the confluence of all wished temporall blessings and spirituall graces may be powred downe vpon your Graces head most abundantly in this Life with the euerlasting addition of a Crowne of Glory in the Life to come Your Graces most bounden and deuoted Seruant ROBERT BARRELL The Authours Preface to the Christian Reader COurteous and charitable Reader not so much the importunity of my friends though I haue been much solicited therevnto hath caused me to publish this Sermon to the view of the world as that Eye which I had therein to Gods glory and thy good for being pressed by some of my especiall friends to publish it as a Sermon which in these dayes of too much tottering inconstancie in Religion might be some stay to wauering and vnstable soules and so doe some good in the Church of God I thought my selfe most vnworthy to receiue a mite much lesse a talent from the Lord if I should not most willingly and cheerefully cast it into Gods treasurie for although of late many other worthies of our Israel haue a Luc. 21.1 c out of the superfluity and abundant riches of their knowledge cast in much more yet I hope this mite which I haue cast in with as good an intention as any though much more able than my selfe to doe good in the Church of God will be accepted of him who loues a cheerfull giuer and whither it be little or much b 2. Cor. 8.12 accepts the gift according to the ability which himselfe hath giuen The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things be done to aedification 1. Cor. 14.26 My scope therefore in this sermon is to teach thee the art of Spirituall Architecture that is how to build vp thy selfe to be an house or temple for the Lord an habitation of God by the spirit which J teach thee as my selfe haue learned it from that greatest and chiefest Architect Christ Iesus by the direction of his holy word For all that be in Christ are likewise c 1 Cor. 16 19. Temples of the holy Ghost to be built in this world but to be dedicated in the world to come where the glory of the Lord shall fill thee with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious as earst his glory filled the materiall Temple Exod 40.34 And as the building of these spirituall Temples here is painefull and laborious to flesh and bloud so the dedication of them there shall bee most ioyfull and glorious To encourage thee to build God himselfe hath laid the chiefe corner stone yea d 1 Pet 5.6 himselfe is the chiefe corner stone elect and pretious and all the faithfull are liuing stones to bee laid vpon this foundation and to be built a spirituall house a Aug. Tom in dedicat Templi Fide formati â—pe formali charitate compacti squared by faith laid fast by hope and cemented together by charitie Build therefore or rather be built vpon this firme foundation both by hearing and
architects labour with all their arr and industry to repaire the ruines of Babell but g Psal 127.1 except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it and the Lord hath decreed and denounced the fall thereof by that h Apoc. 14.12 euerlasting Gospell which the Angell brought into the world therefore downe it must and the fall thereof shall be great and shall crush all that wittingly willingly and wilfully fall with it and vnder it as the i Oct. 26 1623. late fall of an house did some adhaerents vnto Babilon and presse them downe if they speedily repent not to the bottome of hell And such also will be the fall of all worldlings Iust secunda other foolish builders on the sand if they speedily conuert not and become wise builders to builde on the rocke Christ and his Sacred truth both by beleeuing and practising As here their fall was great when they wittingly and willingly consented vnto sinne and greater when they acted it and greatest of all when they persisted in it so hereafter their fall shall be exceeding great Not like k Gen. 3 23. Adams onely from a paradise of pleasure to a wildernesse of woâ— for so they fall here when they fall from truth to errour and from righteousnes to sinne and wickednes but like Lucifers who fell like l Luc. 10.11 lightning that is swiftly and suddainely from the height of heauen to the depth of hell and from being an Angell of light and a pure starre of coelestiall brightnesse to be an angell of aeternall night and the blacke Prince of infernall darknes Applicat To the end therefore that wee may escape this fearefull fall and irrecouerable Mine of haeretiks prophane wretches worldlings and hypocrites let vs build on the firme rocke of Christ and his heauenly truth both by hearing and practising Wee of this land are bound to God for innumerable blessings namely a Religious King a hopefull Prince a fruitfull land like Canaan flowing with milke and hony or Eden the garden of the Lord also goodly and populous cities and townes and flourishing Vniuersities and Innes of Court which like Theopbrastus Persian tree doe at the same time bud blossome and bring forth fruit So that we may say of England as one did of Rhodes Semper in Sole sita est for we haue had a long sunne-shine of prosperitie peace and plenty and withall the sunne-shine of the Gospell which as Luther said is Genus generalissimum omnium bonorum the well head of our happinesse for hereby we may build on the rocke while other our neighbour nations build on the sand Seeing therefore God hath trusted vs with such a treasure let vs be thankefull for it and shew our thankfullnes first in imbracing this Gospell of peace peaceably as the subiects of the Prince of peace Let vs not stand striuing as too many haue vainely done already too long about the swadling cloutes of holy Religion namely Clericall habites and other comely Ceremonies least while we striue about these ouermuch wee endanger the body or substance of true Religion let vs not any longer râ—nd in sunder the a Cypr. de vnit Eccles seamelesse coat of Christ the vnitie of the Church by our needlesse conâ—en iâ—nâ— about thâ—se â—hâ—â—gs â—or if â—ee b Gal. 5.15 bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we bee consumed one of another and while we â—iâ—tuâ—be thâ— Churches peace we depriue her of her prospâ—râ—â—ie anâ— make an open waâ— as this breaâ—h hath already done too much for those proud and cruell Babylonians to ruine our Ierusalâ—m who say of it in their hearts c Psal 127.7 Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground But being â—ll Ministers or members of one Church which is d Cypr. ibid. Vna ColuÌ„ba one e Cant. 5.2 doâ—e of Christ let vs haue all the douelike spirit of humiâ—itie charit peace vnitie for the doues of one house liue together loue together fly together flocke together kisse each other and in all respects performe the lâ—wes of loue peace and vnanimity So let vs liue and loue together and with the first belâ—euers of the Primitiue Church be all of a Act. 4.32 one heart and one soule Let all ministers preach and people pray for the peace of our Ierusalem b Psal 122.6 7. for if peace be within her walls plenteousnesse will be within her palaces 2. Let vs that are built on this rocke of truth bring forth the fruits of holines and true righteousnes So S. Ier. said of the Christians of his dayes c Hieron Proâ—m Comment in Ezech. Scripturarum cupimus verba in opera vertere non dicere sancta sed facere we desire to turne the words of the Scripture into workes and not to speake of but to doe the workes of holinesse As the naturall life lies hid in the heart the fountaine of the vitall spirits and yet Physitions iudge of it by the pulse in the arme so the spirituall life of a Christian to wit his regeneration lies hid in the heart and soule and yet men iudge of it by the motion of the arme the exercise of good workes for d Mat 7.10 the tree is knowne by his fruites We cannot iudge of the life of grace and power of true Religion in the soules of men 1. By the eyes for many lift vp their eyes to heauen by seeming shewes of sanctitie when their hearts lye grouelâ—ng on the earth yea mudling in the earth by base worldlinesse and grossâ— carnalitie 2. Nor by the eares foâ— there be many e Iam. 1.22 hearers of the word but not doers of the same deceiuing their owne soules 3. Nor by the tonguâ— foâ— many f Mat. 15.8 7.21 draw neere to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips when their hearts are far from him and cry with a zealous ingemination Lord Lord and yet doe not the will of their heauenly Father But by the arme or hand that is by doing cheerefully sincerely and constantly the things that God commandeth g Cant. 5.1 6.2 Christ the bridegroome comes into his garden not to refresh himselfe vnder the shadow of the trees or to behold the greene leaâ—es or to crop the buds and blossomes but to gather the fruits that his friends may eate abundantly for then Châ—ist feedes when his friends feed the head is nourisheâ— in his members h Mat. 25.40 In as much as yee haue done it vnto me of these little ones ye haue done it vnto me Let therefore the word of God i Col. 3.16 dwell in you as it dwels among you plenteously that ye may bee k 1 Tim. 6.18 rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate to the poore and needy l Esa 58 7 8. dealing your bread to the hungry drinke to the thirsty bringing the poore that are cast out into your houses couering the naked with a garment not hiding your selues from your owne flesh then shall your light breake forth as the morning and your health spring foorth speedily your righteousnes shall goe before you and the glory of the Lord shall be your reward And then shall God a Apoc. 20.1 chaine vp Sathan in the bottomlesse pit and restraine the force and malice of wicked men that they cannot hurt vs b Aug in Exod. Malorum potestas deficit in muscis The power of the Magitians failes in the flies for Sathan cannot doe the least thing without Gods permission If therefore we c Eccles 12. vlt. feare the Lord and keepe his commandements heare his word and doe it euen those stormes flouds and winds which Sathan stirres vp to cast downe our spiriruall building shall blow our happines and land the ships of our soules and bodies at last in the hauen of heauen Now let euery heart stretch forth an hand apply what hath beene spoken to himselfe and pray earnestly for the assistance of Gods Spirit that he may so doe for we may preach and you heare and both loose our labour except there be a drawing of the father a touch of the Sonne and an inspiration of the Holy-Ghost but if these concurre then God himselfe makes the Sermon and builds vp thereby the spirituall Edifices of our Soules makes them stand fast for euer and so the fruit of a few houres hearing shall be eternity of dayes A Prayer Grant vs grace therefore O Lord to bee doers of thy word not hearers only deceiuing our own souls vouchsafe so to assist vs with thy holy Spirit in this our building that we may not build the spirituall Edifices of our soules either on humane traditions with superstitious Papists or vpon our vaine presumption of thy mercy with prophane secure sinners or vpon the perishing vanities of this world with foolish Mammonists or vpon our outward profession of faigned holinesse with masked Hypocrites but vpon the rocky faundation of thy Christ and his sacred truth both by hearing and practizing that no raine of worldly prosperity nor stormes of aduersity windes of haereticall perswasions or violent flouds of persecutions ouerthrow this our spirituall building but that it may stand fast like mount Sion till this house of our earthly tabernacle being dissolued wee haue a building giuen vs of thee an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens FINIS
practising for if thou build not at all thou shalt be left destitute of a b Esa 32.2 shelter from the wind and a couer from the tempest and if thou build on any other foundation thou buildest thine owne ruine c Aug. in Psal 101. Eia ergo lapides viui instructuram currite non in ruinam c. Goe to therefore ye liuing stones come yea runne to this building and not to your owne ruine Bâ—e contented to bee hewen and squared by that d Ier. 23.29 hammer that heweth the stones the lawe of God and to be polished with the stroakes of temptatious afflictions and persecutions here without for as much as there shall not be any noise or stroake of that hammer heard when he shall be perfectly polished in the heauenly Sanctuary Lay the pauement of your building low by contrite humilitie fasten your selues and your faith vpon the maine e Eph â— 19. foundation stones of the Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrines raise the walls of your building by feruent prayers and deuout meditations and adorne your building with good workes which may bee conspicuous to the eye of the world as with turrets and battlements be pillars to support the weake and roofes to shroud and shelter the poore and needy from the tempests of their seuerall calamities and necessities so shall ye be possessed of the Lord as temples built for his honour and seruice by his spirit of grace here and fullnesse of glory hereafter That both thou Gentle Reader whosoeuer thou be and I may thus build and be built let vs helpe one another by the mutuall commerce of our feruent and faithfull prayers Thine in the Lord Iesus ROBERT BARRELL Faults escaped in Printing PAge 2. line 33 for imploy read imply page 3. line 22. for walles read waters page 4. line 14 for man read Mammon page 5 line 30 for certifying reade rectifying page 6 line 13 read I wish that my words c. page ead line 28 for conneyed reade conueyed page 8 line 22 for usullarum vnita read multarum vnitas page ead line 28 for startling read starting page 9 line 13 leaue out thereof page 10. line 6. read acknowledge him c. page ead line 28. for Epitom read Epitome line 29 for section reade perfection line 37. between see and smell insert but page 12 line 6 for Loe reade Hoe c page ead line 26 for Solius read solus page 13 line 2 for mine reade ruine page 14 line 2 for way reade wander page 15 line 2 for phrases read praises ibid. line 18 for criricall aeade criticall ibid. line 19 for word read words page 23 line 27 for till read while page 30 line 1 for verity read vnity line 23 for vnitie read vnite page 31 line 6 for Catholikes read Cacolikes page ead line 35 for supply read supple page 33 line 26 for sectuntur read sectaâ—tur ibid. line 30 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 page 34 line 38 for Costerius reade Costerus page 36 line 28 ibid. line 26 for sunne read sonne page 40. line 14 for vt read vel page 41. in Annot marg for Anno 3033 read 303 ibid. page 35 for whhle read whole page 45 line 21 for flaida read fluida ibid line 35 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 page 48. line 9 read Si restitui potest ibid. line 14 for Colloguintida read Colloquintida ibid. line 27 for mind conscience reade my conscience Page 50 line vlt for ouerthrow reade ouerflow page 5â— line 15 for thee read them page 61 line 18. for irrecouerable read irreuocable ibid line 33 for Sancte read Sancta ibid. line 38 for wasted read roasted page 64 line 5 for right read righteousnes ibid. in marg for Cypr. read Opus page 65. line 25 for mine read ruine page 67 line 27 for me read one page 68 line 2 for malorum read magorum If thou finde Gentle Reader any other faults either in Orthography or otherwise I pray thee correct them with thy pen and let not the Printers errors be imputed to the Authour THE SPIRITVALL ARCHITECTVRE Text. MATH Chap. 7. Vers 24.25.26.27 24 Therefore whosoeuer heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house vpon a Rocke 25 And the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat vpon that House and it fell not for it was founded on a Rocke 26 And euery one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened vnto a foolish man which built his House vpon the Sand. 27 And the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great THe blessed Apostle S. Paul termes the new Ierusalem which is the Christian Church (a) Gal. 4.26 the Mother of vs all and this mother of all Christians like Mary the mother of Christ is (b) Ser. 119. de temp both a mother and a Virgin A Virgin in respect of her most pure and vnspotted veritie which though it be often assaulted by cursed haeretiques the diuells off-spring yet it neuer was nor shall be wholy corrupted (c) Mat. 16.18 for the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it being built on the rocke Christ Iesus A mother in respect of her copious faecunditie for she is (d) Cypr. de vnitate Eccl. Sect. 4. 5. Faecunditatis successibus copiosa a fruitfull mother of children bringing forth by her puritie of doctrine many sonnes and daughters to the Lord Almightie Illius faetu nascimur lacte nutrimur spiritu animamur In her wombe we are bred by her soule or spirit we are quickned by her milke we are nourished and her two breasts that yeelds vs this sweet milk (e) Psal 19.10 sweeter to beleeuing souls than the hony and the hony combe are the two Testaments The same Church is compared by that holy Father and blessed Martyr S. Cyprian (f) Cypr. Epist 73. Sect. 9. vnto Paradise the trees wherof are the faithfull which are (g) Esa 61.3 Germina plantationis Domini Trees of the Lords owne planting and like the trees planted by the riuers of Waters (h) Psa 1.3 bring forth their fruites in due season and the foure riuers of this Paradise wherewith these trees are watered are the foure Euangelists These riuers like Tagus haue many golden streames of which this sermon of Christ on the Mount is one of the choisâ—st for it may be called Concio concionum as Salomons sweet Epithalamium between Christ and his Church is called Canticum Canticorum as being the key of the whole Bible wherein Christ opens those treasures of Wisedome and knowledge which are hid in the old and new Testament Therefore we finde none of Christs sermons so largly registred by the Euangelists (i) Ioh. 14.15 16. as this except his
consolatarie sermoÌ„ to his Disciples before his passion this being his Primum salue or first welcome to his Apostles after their election to the Apostleship and that his vltimum vale or last Farewel vnto them immediately before his passion 1. Praef. Conc. How excellent a sermon this was it is euident First by the Preface or exordium thereunto for it was deliuered In a selected place (k) Mat. 5.1 namely a mountaine that the sublimitie of the place might shew the excellencie of the matter Ver. 2. 2. To selected auditors namely his twelue Apostles and the choisest Disciples and in an especiall and singular manner intimated First by his preparation thereunto (l) Luc 6.12 for he spent the whole night before in prayer which must needs imploy some consequence of great importance Secondly By his gesture of sitting (m) Aug de Ser. Dom. in Monte. Quod pertinet ad dignitatem magisterij implying both the dignitie of the speaker who is (n) Mat. 23.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Doctor of his Church and the weight of the matter Thirdly by the Euangelists phrase of opening his mouth which implies not onely our Sauiours earnestnesse intention both of heart and voyce in speaking but the excellency and diuine perfection of his doctrine He who is 1. f Ier. 24.6 The eye of God by which he looks downe vpon his Church for good and not for euill 2. g Esay 53.1 The Arme of God whereby hee doth both sustaine and imbrace it 3. h Esay 48.13 1 Pet. 5.8 The hand of God whereby he hath laid the foundation of the earth in the worke of Creation and pluckt his sheep out of the mouth of that roaring Lyon the Diuell as Dauid did his fathers sheepe out of the iawes of the Lyon i 1 Sam. 17.35 paw of the beare in the worke of Redemption 4. The Face of God in whom as in a Christall glasse we may behold a Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of his fathers glory and â—xpresse Character of his person b Ioh. 14.9 He that hath seene me hath seene the father 5. The mouth of God whereby hee doth both c Cant. 1.2 kisse his Church with the kisses of his loue and instruct it with his heauenly Doctrine heere opens his mouth as a fountaine of liuing waters to refresh the thirsting soules of his Disciples as earst hee opened the rocke of stone for the refreshing of the fainting bodies of his Jsrael d Psal 105.31 so that the walles gushed out and riuers ran in drye places 2 Materia conc 2 By the substance or matter of this Sermon which whosoeuer shall considerately read and marke shall finde therein e Aug. in loc perfectum vitae Christianae modum a perfect rule or direction for a Christian life tending to true happinesse and perfection f Mat. 5.48 Analisis Conc V. 3. A. v. 3. ad 13. Be yee perfect c. For therein Christ shewes vs first the Marke at which wee must ayme namely true blessednesse in Gods Kingdome 2. The Steps or Degrees whereby wee must ascend vnto it namely humility mourning for sin meeknes c. for the eight beatitudes are as so many steps of that g Gen. 28.12 mysticall Ladder of Jaacob whereby we must climbe vp vnto Heauen 3. The Guides to conduct vs thither namely A. v. 1. ad 17. the Ministers of the Gospell who are both the Salt of the earth to season vs with the heauenly Salt of Grace and the Light of the World to guide our feete into the way of peace that we may make straight steps to the h Apoc. 21.2 new Ierusalem and heauenly Sion 4 The Norme or Squire to rule out this way vnto vs namely the Law of God the rule of Charity and i Col 3.14 band of perfection which our Sauiour by his diuine exposition cleeres from Pharisaicall glosses and corruptions A. v. 17. ad finâ—m Cap. 5. 5 The crooked by-pathes which wee must shunne if wee will keepe vs in the right way to true blessednesse and not turne to the right hand or the left and thâ—se are many as tâ—ere is but one right way to a place but many by-waâ—es namely Cap. 6. a. v. ad 19. A. v. 19. ad finem cap. 6. 1. Hypocrisie in doing our good workes to be seene of men 2. Worldly Sollicitude in laying vp our treasure in Earth not in Heauen preferring the seruice of man before the seruice of God and caring more for the perishing vanities of this life then the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse C 7 a. v. 1. ad 6. 3. Vncharitable censuring of our Brethren and ouercurious prying into their motes V. 6. whilst we see not our owne beames 4 Prophane trampling vnder our feet like dogs and Swine the precious pearles of Gods holy word and Sacraments and rending those that bring them vnto vs with the cruell teeth of malicious obloquy A. v. 15. ad 21. 5. Listning to false Prophets which are rauening wolues in sheepes clothing sâ—eking vnder the faire pretences of humility truth simplicity and sincerity to prey vpon deuoure the soules of Christs sheepe 6. Omission of holy duties namely of feruent prayer whereby wee should aske A. v. â— ad 13. seeke and knocke at the gate of mercy and a serious endeuour to enter in at the straight gate and goe on in the narrow way that leads vnto saluation v. 21. c. for as much as a bare verball profession will not serue the turne at the last day Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen c. 3 Conclus conc 3 By the conclusion wherein there is an Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeming to limit these words of my Text to this Sermon onely as containing the summe and substance of the whole Bible but they may fitly haue a more generall reference to all the words of Christs heauenly doctrine deliuered to his Church and recorded in the sacred Scriptures And the Euangelist addes V. 28.29 when Iesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his Doctrine c. for hee was the true Orpheus who by the melodious harmoâ—y of his heauenly Doctrine drew the rocks woods and wilde beasts after him that is men of rocky and hard hearts as the Pharisies and as sauage in sinfulnesse as the wilde beastes namely Sadduces and Publicans a Luk. 6.17 Ioh. 6.2 who flocked from all quarters of Iudea Samaria Galile c. to heare his diuine doctrine and behold his Almighty miracles which they saw and heard with astonishment and admiration saying neuer man spake like this man b Cap. 7.46 These words are the conclusion and application of this diuine Sermon for this wise master builder doth not onely lay the foundation
sinne that grace may abound as if God were wholy composed of mercy This persuasion giues encouragement to the Prophane swearer to flye in the face of God and threaten heauen with his blasphemies as if he would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fight with God and dare him to put on his habergion of iustice and gird himselfe with his sword of vengeance saying in his heart k Mal. 2.17 Where is the God of iudgement And to the swinish drunkard and lasciuious adulterer to ouerburthen the earth with their impieties l Eph. 4.19 turning the grace of God into wantonnesse and committing all vncleannesse euen with greedines and yet say in their hearts m Psal 10 11. Tush God hath forgotten he hideth his face and will neuer see it As if that God that made both day and night and to whom n Psal 239.12 the night is as cleare as the day did not as well behold the one walking secretly in the twilight o Pro. 7.9 as the other impudently staggering in the streetes at no one day But those shall one day know that the a Psal 116.5 Lord is righteous as well as gratious and hath not onely his throane of grace but his seat for iudgement b Apoc. 4.3 As there is a rainebow about his throane in sight like vnto an Emerald representing his mercy and couenant of grace which is euer greene and fresh and most comfortable to his children and whence he continually streames downe showers of spirituall and temporall blessings vpon them so out of this throane proceed c v. 5. lightnings and thunderings and voyces to signifie his iudgements denounced against and reserued for the wicked d Cypr. de Laps Deus enim quantum patris pietate indulgens semper bonus est ita iudicis maiestate metuendus c. For God as he hath the tender indulgence of a father so hath he the dreadfull maiestie of a iudge he hath prepared both heauen and hell as well places of aeternall sorrow and torment as ioy and solace and as well the pit of infernall darkenesse as the light that no mortall man can attaine unto Let the Prophane sinner therefore know for a surety that if he e Leu. 26.21 24. walke contrary to God by iniquity and obstinacy God will walke contrary to him in wrath and fury If he prouoke God dayly by cursing and swearing God will send out a f Zach 5.1.2 c flying roule of curses against him that shall flye into the midst of his house and consume it with the timber and stones thereof If he drinke without thirst and wastfully swallow downe flagons of wine here hee shall thirst without drinke and not haue a g Luc. 16.24 droppe of cold water to coole his tongue hereafter And if he burne with the fire of vnlawfull lust here he shall without serious and seasonable repentance burne hereafter in the h Apoc. 21.8 lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for euer for the Lord doth as well treasure vp wrath fâ—r the i Rom. 9 22 23 vessells of wrath as mercy for the vessells of mercy k Ireen li 3. c 43. Saluat saluandos iudicat iudicio dignos c. He saues those that are to be saued and condemnes those that are worthy to be damned making the one a receptacle of his mercy and an organe of saluation and the other a receptacle of iudgement and organe of damnation 3. A third sort are couetous Mammonists who build their nests in this world beeing herein more foolish than the swallowe a Solinus that will not build her nest in a ruinous house for the world is a great house whose whole fabricke shall fall to ruine b 2 Pet. 3.10 The heauens shall vanish as a scrowle the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with all therein shall be burnt vp These are rightly saide to build on the sand for the world and worldly things are like the sand in two respects 1. Quia flaida because all things therein flowe and floate like a quickesand c 1 Ioh. 2.17 for the world passeth away and the lusts thereof Whence it is compared to a d Apoc. 4.6 Sea of glasse To a sea because it ebbes aâ—d flowes and is tempestuous and to a glassie sea because all things therein are brittle and slippery sliding fading vanishing in a moment 2. Quia sterilia As sand is barraine so worldly things especially if couetously affected vniustly gotten and basely possessed are fruitlesse and vnprofitable e Pro 10.2 3. Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing for the Lord casteth away the substance of the wicked Therefore though the world account her darlings Oracles of wisedome yet in Gods Dictionary they be tearmed fooles f Luâ— 12.20 Thou foole this night will they take away thy soule c. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying improuident for though worldlings be so wise g Mat. 16.26 to win the world yet they are so improuident to loose their owne soules And marke I pray you how many points of extreame folly they commit 1. They doe with great care and paines gather that which they cannot long enioy but it shall bee taken from them or they from it in a moment 2. They lay vp their treasure where all their Praedecessors haue lost it 3. They make their seruant their master that is serue Mammon which should serue them 4. h 1 Tim. 6.9 10 They pierce themselues thorow with many sorrowes 5. They preferre which is the greatest folly gold before God gaine before godlinesse money before mercy the world before their owne soules and that when they are neerest their graue and so drowne themselues irrecouerably inperdition and destruction Applicat 1 1. O that euery oppressing Ahab would think of this that is a 1 Reg. 21.4 sicke for Naboths vineyard and neuer weary b Esa 5.8 ioyning house to house and land to land till there be no roome for the poore in the earth for certainely hee that builds his house as the c Iob 27.18 moth that is by spoiling and consuming others d Esa 53.1 when he shall cease to spoile shall himselfe be spoiled and consumed This is the cause of the decâ—y of so many great families both in city and countrey because they haue built their houses not onely vainly on the sand but cruelly in an Acheldama a field of bloud for e Syrac 34.21 the bread of the needy is the life of the poore he that robs him thereof is a murtherer If houses therefore be thus built though neuer so high the f Hab. 2.11 12. stone out of the wall shall cry and the beame of the timber shall answer it woe to him that buildeth his house with bloud and erecteth a city by iniquity 2. O that euery Symoniacal Patron and greedy Impropriator would thinke of this that robs God to inrich himselfe g Mal. 3 â—
humors of sinne and so playes the schoolemaster not onely in whipping and scourging vs but also in teaching and instructing vs to know God and our selues and the worlds vanitie and to labour after a more permanent faelicity Whereas prosperitie many times like c Iud. 16 19 â—0 Dalila lulls many a strong Sampson so long asleepe in her lappe of carnall pleasures that she takes from him that wherein his spirituall strength consisteth and betrayes him to that vncircumcised Philistim the diuell So then the worlds musicke of profits and pleasures is but a Syrens song which while it tickles our eares it wounds our hearts and splits our soules vpon the rockes of sinne whereby ofttimes wee make shippe-wracke of our saluation d 2 Sam 11.2 c. Dauid who did cleaue fast vnto God in his troubles in his prosperitie started aside like a broken bow and fell into the fearefull sinnes of Adultery and murther And Peter a Mat. 26.51 Ioâ— 18.10 18 who stoutly defended his master among the swords and staues in the garden basely denyed him when he was basting himselfe by the fire in the high Priests hall b Aug. in Psal 34. Homo victus in Paradiso victor in stercore c Ioq 2.8 Job by his patience was a conquerour on the dunghill and d Gen. 3.6 Adam by his pride was conquered in Paradise Also Romes peace and securitie after the Carthaginian wars were ended did her more hurt than all the former battailes And Saint Bernard saith of the Church e Ber. Ser. 33. in Cant. Amara fuit prius in nece Martyrum amarior postea in conflictu haereticorum amarissima vero nunc in moribus domesticorum intimating that she was more hurt by the licentious liues of her children in the dayes of her peace than by the bloud of her Martyrs or her conflict with haeretikes Applicat And may it not be truely said of this Church and land that the raine of prosperitie peace and plenty falling not by drops but by full showers vpon it in the late long and happy reigne of our euer to be remembred and thrice renowned Deborah and our now peacefull Salomon hath done more hurt to this building by rotting many beames and rafters thereof than those tempestuous whirle-winds and violent torrents of persecution in Queene Maries dayes for whereas there were then glorious confessions of the truth in the midst of the fire now there be dayly Apostacies from it in the dayes of peace And our moralitie is so corrupted with our long peace and prosperitie that there was neuer more lying and dissembling in Creta swearing and forswearing in Carthage gormandizing in Capua or Semiplacentia drunkennesse in Germany pride in Spaine or wantonnesse in Italy than is at this day in our land as if the vices of all nations did meete here as in their Center or as if our land were the sinke or common sewer for the sinnes of all nations to runne into Shall we thus repay the Lord for his blessings shall we now begin to f Num 11.5 6. loath our Manna that hath thus long fallen dayly about our tents and hanker againe after the flesh-pots of the Romish Aegypt shall we surfet of our quailes and being full fed with Gods blessings g Deut. 8.10 spurne with the heele against him and turne our backes vpon his mercy-seat God forbid Let vs not thus turne Gods grace into wantonnesse and repay him with our foule and crying sins in stead of thankfullnesse for his blessings like the sea that receiues sweet waters from the fountaines of the earth and returnes them salt and bitter least we incurre the curse of the reprobate Iewes a Psal 69.22 23 Rom. 11.9 10. Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling blocke c. and the things that should haue beene for their weale be vnto them an ocasion of falling 2. Tent. persuas 2. With this tentation of prosperitie I may conioyne the Churches second tentation by the pleasing south-winds of haereticall persuasions because they are most rife in the dayes of the Churches peace With these winds hath the house of the liuing God beene forcibly beat vpon and the ship of his true Church beene violently tossed almost in all ages in the troublesome sea of this world for haeretikes and schismatikes being themselues carryed away with these b Iren. li 3. c 13. three disastrous whirle-winds 1. With the vncleane spirit of error 2. With their owne frenzie whereof they labour 3. Magis studio contradicendi c Cypr ad Demet sect prima quam voto discendi .i. Rather with an itching humour of singularity to contradict the truth than a true zealous humility to learne it seeke to driue others with them into error and so they willfully d Mat. 15.14 blind leade the woefully blinded with themselues into the ditch of destruction But he who is driuen of these winds e Aug. Ti. 1. in Ioh. Mat. 25.30 Non portum sed planctum inueniet shall in the end arriue at no other harbour but where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Applicat And from these disastrous winds our Church is not free now in the dayes of her peace for there swarmes among vs corner-creeping Priests and Iesuites who like subtle foxes seeke to vndermine and roote vp the flourishing vine of this Church and State by f 2. Tim. 3.6 creeping into hovses and leading captiue silly women laden with diuers lusts and silly Ideots apt to beleeue whatsoeuer they tell them without further tryal of their doctrine by the touchstone of truth This kind of fishing they learned from Sathan himfelfe who first g Gen. 3.1 attempted the woman that by her hee might tempt the man vsing the wife as a trappe to catch her husband And from the auncient Gnostikes of whose ring-leader Marcus Jrenaeus reports h Iren. li. 1. c. 9. Maximè circa mulieres occupatus est His principall aime and chiefest businesse was to seduce silly women And as the diuell at first a Cypr. de vnitate Eccl. sect 5 Verbis mendacibus blandiens rudes animas incauta credulitate decepit deceiued the poore innocent soules of our first parents by his lying flattering words praesuming vpon their heedlesse credulitie so they by their lying and flattering words which are b Lact Jnstit li. 5. c â—1 Mella venenum tegentia pills of poyson lapt in hony creepe into the soules of their ouer-credulous Disciples and blinding them with the false vizar of the name of the ancient Catholike Church lead them hoodwinked to their owne destruction Ieâ—uiticaal traps to catch poore soules For first they tell them and that onely truely c Cypr. de vnit Eccles That out of the true Church there is no saluation but all that are out of it must needs perish as all that were out of the arke were drowned in the deluge Secondly they falsly assume
that the Church of Rome as now it is is the onely true auncient Catholike Church and the Protestants are haeretikes and their Church sprung vp but lately since Luthers dayes Thirdly they teach their disciples that the Scriptures are obscure and dangerous for lay-men and silly women to meddle withall because the reading and misunderstanding of the Scriptures hath bred many haeresies and therefore it is enough for them to relye vpon the definitions of their mother the Romish Church and directions of their ghostly Fathers without any further search or inquiry thus thieues put out the candle that should discouer them Fourthly they tell them that it is haeresie for a lay-man to dispute in points of faith neither must they reade any bookes written against the Romish Religion or any part thereof nor conferre with any Protestant minister or other able to defend his religion but in all doubts repaire to their ghostly fathers for resolution Fiftly they extoll deuout ignorance and implicite faith to the skies and tell them that such ignorantly deuout soules shall haue the benefit of other mens knowledge So they canonize the Colliars faith and make it their seduced disciples Creed to beleeue as the Church beleeues Now when silly ignorant soules haue deepely drunke in these principles what maruaile is it if they bee easily peruerted and hardly conuerted when their seducing teachers haue thus hedged in their eyes eares and hearts that they should not heare nor vnderstand Hortatio Wherefore seeing these a Mat 7.15 Wolues in sheepes cloathing who like the wolues of Africa faine the voice of sheepeheards to deuoure the flocke be so busie to infect our flocks with Popery let vs be as vigilant to continue them in the truth Now if euer S. Bern. exhortation is to be put in practise b Ber. li. 3 de consid c. 10 Danda est opera vt increduli conuertantur conuersi non auertantur auersi reuertantur c. We that are Ministers of the word must sedulously endeauour that those which do not rightly beleeue may be conuerted and those that are turned out of the way may returne into the right way againe and those that are conuerted may not be turned away and those that are peruerse may be directed into the paths of righteousnesse and those that are subuerted may bee recalled into the wayes of truth and that the subuerters themselues should haue their errors conuinced by the euidence of truth that either themselues may be reclaimed or they may loose all power and authority to subuert others 1 Ad epist Let me therefore beseech you Reuerend Fathers in the bowells of Christ Iesus who am vnworthy to counsaile you that as yee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or ouerseers in name c Act. 20.28 so ye would indeed in these dangerous dayes with a most vigilant eye ouersee the flocke of Christ committed to your seuerall charges which Christ hath purchased with his owne blood Ye sit at the sterne of this ship of the English Church and are skilfull in your compasse O let not these disastrous winds carry it the contrary way but guide it still as ye haue done in the way of truth to the hauen of hapines Ye are the d Mar. 13.34 porters of this house fold of Christ and haue the keyes of iurisdiction in your hands to let in and out O watch therefore that these e Ioh. 10.2 thieues and robbers breake not in and steale away the sheepe of Christ from his fold whose soules are most f Psal 116.15 deare and pretious in his sight And see that euery Archippus vnder you in your seuerall Diocaeses doe both by preaching and catechizing according to his Maiesties late pious and most Christian directions g Col. 4.17 take heed to the ministery that he hath receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it 2. Ad Mag. And let all religious Magistrates in their places seeke with godly a 2 Pa◠35.5 Josiah to purge Gods house where it is polluted either with error or sinne and with zealous b Neh. 4.1 9. Nehemiah endeauour to reaedifie the ruine of Gods Ierusalem and to defend this building against all malicious Tobiahs and Sanballats that seeke to hinder it 3 Ad priuatos And let all priuate men take heed that these wily Serpents creepe not into their bosomes by their subtle insinuations but let thē hold fast the truth that they haue receiued in the Lord and if any though an c Gal. 1.16 angell from heauen bring them any other doctrine let them hold him accursed d Cypr. de vnit Eccl. sect 1. Nutet enim necesse est vagetur spiritu erroris arreptus velut puluis ventiletur qui salutaris viae non tenet veritatem for he must needs totter and wander and being driuen with the spirit of error be carryed away as e Psal 1.4 dust or chaffe which the wind scatters away from the face of the earth that doth not keepe the truth of that way that leades to saluation f Eph. 4.14 Be not therefore like children wauering and carryed away with euery wind of vaine doctrine but follow the truth in loue and in all things growe vp to him that is the head namely Christ Iesus ◠Tent. persecut 3. The third sort of temptations wherewith the Church is assaulted is affliction and persecution compared to the blustering Northwinds and violent flouds which beat vpon this house for the true Church is like g Gen. 7.18 8.4 Noahs arke still floating on the waters of trouble till shee come to rest on Ararat the Mount of God for h Act. 14.22 through many tribulations we must enter into Gods kingdome i 2 Tim 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution for k Aug in Ps 31. though God had one sonne without sinne yet he hath none without affliction A Christians life is like a nauigation in a tempestuous sea the harbor whence we launch is our mothers wombe the port whereto we are bound is the hauen of heauen but the interim betweene the whole time of our sayling in the troublesome sea of this world is full of tempests full of Pyrats So that Reuerend Luther said truely Qui non est crucianus non est Christianus no crosse no Christian consonant to that of the Apostle l Heb. 12.5 If ye bee without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes And concerning the Churches persecutions that of Homer concerning Troy may most truely bee spoken of the true Church Militant a Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She hath but a little breathing time from her continuall warfare for these two contrary armies Israel and Amalech are alwayes fighting b Ex 17. vlt. God will haue warre with mysticall Amalech .i. the Church malignant from generation to generation c Ser. 92. de