make shew of performing a Vow at Hebron Herod of worshipping Christ and of another Herod hearing Iohn gladly Prou. â— yea the Harlot her selfe hath made her peace offerings and payed her vowes and Christ doth so discouer the rich Gluttons wickednes that we may yet see the religion of his linage saying They haue Moses and the Prophets Lâ—ke 16. What wicked man doth not frame a religion to himselfe in appearance and shew to stop the mouth of his conscience and gloze with the world None shall bow lower than he none shall looke more sowre in the day of fasting and in all the kindes of superstition none shall more glister with deuotion in the view of men especially in the day of affliction and houre of death Thirdly in shew euen false religion may imitate the true Let God haue a Temple so hath the Deuill yea where God hath his Church the Deuill hath his Chapell and Synagogue Apoc. 2.12 as his Throne in Pergamus and Antichrist with his apostacie in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 If God answer from betweene the Cherubims the Deuill will haue his oracles Let him haue his Priests the Deuil also will haue Arch-flamines and Flamines his Druids Sophists Sacrificers and the like The Deuill and his instruments haue still beene seene to be Gods apes to imitate him so farre as it hath been permitted vnto them in the great workes of his creation and prouidence Fourthly in shew false religion may not only imitate but outstrip the true If true religion haue golden Priests and woodden Chalices false religion will haue with woodden Priests golden Chalices Let true religion haue a sacrifice of beasts the false will haue a sacrifice of men If the true haue washings the false will haue abundance of washings and other ceremonies which shall goe vnder the name of the traditions of the Elders In which respect they who reade the exceptions of Atheists and Heathen against the true religion shall â—â—nde this to be one that it was farre behinde the heathenish religion in the beauty of their Temples array of their Priests gestures and significant representations in their deuotions Thus let vs carry with vs these foure meditations and conclude from them thus much that seeing the religion of hypocrites and wicked men may equall and false religion may imitate and outstrip the true religion in shewes therefore we must iudge righteous iudgement wee must not chuse religion according to appearance and shewes but striue to be of that which doth most approue it selfe to God What vse shall we make of this point now but this to learne to cleaue to that religion which we shall finde to be more in heart than in shew I know that we must not neglect such shewes as God hath appointed as praying preaching hearing reading bowing the knees lifting vp the hands and eyes together with a decent course and cariage in Gods whole seruice Of these we say as Christ to the Pharisies These ought yee to haue done Matth. 23.23 yet the sincere seruice and glory of the heart ought not to be left vndone the principall end of a good religion being to approue the heart vnto God Gods seruice doth chiefly consist in the holy exercise and vsage of the vnderstanding and affections of the heart according to Gods will What hypocrite cannot draw neere to God with the lips What carnall wretch cannot make a crucifix or other image to be a mouer of fleshly deuotion Objectum motivam vehiculum devotionis and as it were a popish chariot of desires to the persons whom they doe represent What Idiot whose vnderstanding is idle cannot giue God a knee and a knocke vpon the breast at the Popish Latine seruice and Masse of humane inuentions Alas for them whose religion is in shewes If the shew and outside of religion were ordained by God yâ—â— as it might sometimes be omitted without sinne as Circumcision and the Passeouer yea and the feast of Tabernacles for a thousand yeeres together Neh. 8.17 if my Chronologer deceiue me not euen so also may it be practised of vs without grace Oh therefore beleeue not neither trust in shewes but cleaue vnto that religion whose grace and glory doth stand in inward worship which cannot be omitted without sinne nor practised without grace We draw neere to God with our hearts we heare the word with faith feare loue and full assurance we pray in the Holy Ghost yea though wee vse the helpe of others yet we make such prayers our owne by a thorow applying them to our wants and graces when we sing Psalmes we make melodie to God in our hearts and when we doe receiue the Lords Supper we doe it in remembrance of Christ and shew forth his death till he come yea like true worshippers we are so farre from delighting in shewes that as God said of old They shall say no more The Arke of the couenant of the Lord Ier. 3.16 for it shall come no more to minde neither shall they remember it neither shall they visit it so doe we willingly forget all the typicall rites and ceremonies wherewith the Church of Rome did Iewishly and heathenishly abuse our forefathers and doe striue to build vp the hid man of the heart and to worship God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. not neglecting such outward expressments as are warranted either by generall or particular rules and examples out of the holy word But as for garish shewes let children and babies delight in such rattles We account our selues to haue iust cause to suspect the religion of Rome which is all for shewes They know right well that euery man would be accounted godly and that the wickedest wretch and wisest politician of the world would faine goe to heauen To this end therefore as it may seeme namely to please the wise men of the world and desperate sinners who know by nature that they must frame a kinde of religion to procure Gods fauour they haue patched together as the secure times of the world and their preuailing faction would giue them leaue an outward seruice glorious in shew to stop the mouth of conscience for a time Their faith is resolued into a glorious and pompous Church for shew Their repentance stands only in contrition confession and satisfaction by visible penances which being performed in shew receiueth an absolute forgiuenesse of sinne They boast of their altars sacrifices washings and anointings they adorne their altars images priests and temples They haue their Iubilees processions pilgrimages to their ridiculous Ladies vigils trentals diriges and requiems and all for shew still They haue musicke and chaunting for the eare without the exercise either of vnderstanding or heart They haue golden and veluet silken and taffatie Images for the eye They haue Incense or other sweet perfumes for the nose They haue iuncates and banquets on their falsly called fasting daies for their pallates though they will not ordinarily eat
and faggot If it be thought that yet this need not bee feared amongst vs I know it well yet we may see by the former considerations what is like to be the successe and we are not quite without experience in those disputes betwixt Mounsieur de Moulin and the Iesuites of France with whom he had to doe who had still the vpper hand in the report of their faction when time soone after hath brought other truth to light Fourthly though they dispute not by proclamation yet they dispute by print for their bookes doe daily flie abroad and they are occasioned in this kinde to doe more than they doe As B. Abbot D. Whitâ— Parâ—râ— c. while they suffer themselues to be beaten backe after their first assault and leaue our champions triumphing in the field Thus we must watch for those things which they plead against vs that so we may preserue our doctrine next wee must watch for those things which they plead for themselues which otherwise may shrewdly shake vs and moue vs in our minds before we are aware But what are these Marke I pray you They will tell you of their Scripture What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search out of the defence of the censure holinesse humilitie learning miracles dangers and other wonderfull conueniences of their religion And oh how plausible are these in the sight of a naturall man First they wâ—ll tell you that they haue expresse Scriptures for a great number of their doctrines which they hold against vs which wee cannot auoid without glosses Scriptures and wee haue no expresse Scripture against them And how faire doth this appeare to him that is willing to rule his conscience by the word of God therefore watch I pray you Concerning the supremacie of Peter and so of the Pope they will tell you that Christ said to Peter Marth 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church But these words are not plaine to that end for hee doth not say Thou art rocke and vpon thee rocke I will build my Church but Thou art Peter and answerable to thy name which signifieth a stone thou hast made a confession of Christ which shall be and is a rocke whereupon I will build my Church But as for vs we haue plaine Scripâ—ures against that proud supremacie 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And if it be said that Peter and the Pope are successiuely ministers and supporters in the same foundation then the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there are diuersities of administrations but the selfe-same Lord and for matter of ministerie wee haue it plainly that the Church of God is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 as well as vpon Peter that is vpon their doctrines and confessions Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone For their breaden-god in the Sacrament they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Christ Matth. 26. saying This is my bodie Yet our Sauiour doth not say This is my naturall bodie which was borne of the Virgin Marie or This is my bodie as it shall be when I am glorified because we know that he had his mortall bodie sitting at the table with his Disciples which had not yet suffered death But as for vs though we need not any such phantasticall place as should say This is the signe of my bodie because we doe beleeue that in those words of promise Christ doth expresse his plaine meaning according to the nature of the thing that he hath in hand which is the Sacrament and that hee had not spoken so plainly and so fitly if hee should haue said This is a signe of my bodie because he was to represent in those words vnto his Church that in the faithfull receiuing of those signes and seales they should haue whole Christ with all his merits conueyed and setled vpon them Yet this wee haue in plaine words against Christs corporall presence that the heauen must containe him till the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 Againe for their iustification by works they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Iames which say that of workes a man is iustified Iam. 2.24 and not of faith onely Which yet are not so expresse as they dreame for by works the Apostle must needs vnderstand the cause with the effect or a liuing and working faith made manifest by works both because otherwise the Apostle would neuer bring in the Scripture which proueth iustification by faith and say Vers 23. that the worke of his offering vp of his sonne was the fulfilling of that Text which speaketh of faith as also Gen. 15.6 because otherwise it would be an absurd inference to say that because Abraham beleeued God Vers 24. therfore ye see that man is iustified of workes and not of faith onely Any man may see that the Apostle to cut the combes of Securitanes who rested in a naked idle and vnprofitable faith saith that we cannot be saued but by that faith which worketh out our saluation Phil. 2. or proceedeth in the way to heauen by loue because it is onely such a faith that iustifieth vs which of necessitie goeth before saluation But for vs wee haue plaine words which tell vs euen when the Apostle speaketh of purpose of iustification that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law therefore by faith onely Rom. 3.28 Rom. 4.5 and that we must renounce in this case euen the works of righteousnesse which we haue done Tit. 3.5 Ephes 2.9 10. and those workes whereunto we are built in Christ Iesus that we should walke in them Againe for the keeping of the Law they will tell you that they haue the plaine words of Paul which say Rom. 2.13 that the doers of the Law shall be iustified which yet are not so plaine as they pretend because they speake no other but with vs that the Law containeth a patterne of perfect righteousnesse and that if we could doe it we should be iustified by the deed Suppositivè But for vs we heare the Scriptures speake plainly that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 1 Iohn 3.4 and that if we sinne we doe transgresse the Law Againe for that proud and cursed doctrine of merit they will tell you that the Scripture often saith plainly Rom. 2.6 that God will reward euery man according to his works Rom. 4.4 yet we see plainly that there is wages counted by fauour as well as by debt in which respect Gods reward may argue Gods free loue and mercy and promise and not our desert especially considering what Christ who teacheth vs not to lie doth teach vs to say that when we haue done all things Luk. 17.10 which are commanded
them to their right obiects and bringing them by degrees to this measure that they are spent vpon Christ without measure Thirdly our faith doth shew it selfe in our wils when the soule hauing many times a blessed experience of Gods loue is perswaded of it Thus Pauls faith shewed it selfe when he said I am perswaded that neither life nor death and so forth shall seperate vs that is Rom. 8.38 39. me and other Christians from Gods loue which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which perswasion as I take it doth more naturally belong vnto the will it being more proper to the vnderstanding to be conuicted and to the will to be perswaded So that though the soule be many times tossed with temptations feares and terrours yet more or lesse it is much refreshed with this perswasion Thus we see how faith quickneth the whole soule of the godly man In which respect if wee be quickned from the death of our vnderstandings and not of our desires if we perceiue the inliuing of our desires and not of our wils and affections we haue iust cause to suspect that we haue no faith For faith is in no part of the soule in any measure where it is not in all parts of the soule in some measure For in this doth the life of the soule differ from the life of the bodie that the life of the bodie doth begin in the heart it being that which first liues and doth end there it being that which last dieth but the life of the soule which can neuer perish though it may seeme not to worke for some time like a member deaded with a blow as it is in our first regeneration like light in the aire shed abroad thorow the whole soule so it is alwaies to be found in all the powers of the soule though in some man it be more predominant in the vnderstanding in some in the desires and in some others in the will and affections Now therefore let vs from hence-forth enter into our owne soules to trie whether we haue faith yea or no. If we haue it is our life and if it be our life it quickneth both our vnderstandings to know Christ our iudgements to approue him as our only Sauiour and Redeemer our memories to treasure vp the promises our desires to haue an vnquenchable thirst after him our affections to be spent vpon him our wils in some measure to be perswaded of his loue to vs and our whole soules to droope and mourne in our Christian ioy because we cannot receiue him more fully in the whole to our endlesse comfort Vse 2 Secondly concerning others we learne from this life of faith who are the men that onely may be said to liue to wit the godly man because he only hath faith The great man liueth gallantly the voluptuous man liueth merrily the rich man wealthily the politicke man warily only the faithfull man liueth indeed because he liueth graciously This is true life and all other liues are deaths to this The wealthie mans life is full of care feare griefe but Faith triumpheth That neither life nor death principalitie nor power things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus The poore mans life is full of discontent and penury but Faith can want and abound and in stead of other dainties doth euery day feed vpon Christ The Infants life is full of mourning and crying but Faith glads the heart in the midst of heauinesse and makes it many times reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious The young mans life is full of passion wauering and fickle inconstancie but Faith doth so ballace our soules that we runne a setled course and sweare to keepe Gods righteous iudgements The old mans life is full of deafenesse dulnesse decayednesse but Faith seeth thorow the clouds life in death glory in shame yea it heareth the voice of God in euery sentence and though the outward man perish yet in the inner and hid man of the heart Faith reneweth vs daily Although therefore we must liue other liues both naturall and ciuill yet let vs make more account of this That Christ liueth in vs by faith than of all other liues whatsoeuer Thus haue I brought you along vnto the last thing which I shall obserue from hence that is the exercise and expressement of that power which Faith giueth vs by our communion with Christ in a vertuous and holy life For as hee hath said that wee haue fellowship in his death for our mortification that we are quickned by faith in him for our viuification so that we through that quickning power which wee doe receiue from Christ by faith are made liuely vnto all holy obedience Therefore is it that the Apostle saith It is not I but Christ that quickneth mee concerning the life that we now liue to liue graciously Whence we must marke That it is from the vertue and power of Christ that wee are quickned to all holy obedience Though we haue faith yet we must not pride our selues in it for it is not faith in it selfe that quickneth vs but as it is a diuine power whereby we doe receiue that life which is in Christ Iohn 5.21 Therefore is it said That the Sonne quickneth whom he will Yea and hence is it that the Scripture is so exact in setting downe our weaknesse For whereas there are seuen degrees to be considered for the effecting of a good thing the Scriptures shew that man is weake in all of them Psal Can man thinke good No The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine and wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 2.14 Can we vnderstand good 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7 No The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God Yea the wisdome of flesh is enmitie against God Can we will and desire good No It is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 Can we speake good No Prov. 16.1 The wife man may purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord therefore Dauid prayeth to God that he would open his lips that his mouth might set forth his praise Psal 51.15 If he could not tune his tongue much lesse could he turne his heart Can wee begin to doe good No as Esay saith The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth so may we say of our inward good for it is God that beginneth this good worke in vs. Philip. 1.6 Can wee doe or worke any good No I know that the way of man is not in himselfe Ier. 10.23 for without Christ we can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 Can we perfect any thing that good is No To will is present with vs as with Paul when we are sanctified but we haue no power to performe If God should bring
to rowle themselues and to doat vpon the partie loued Thirdly they are practicall for the obtaining of what they desire Those desires that are not practicall but vanish without endeuours to bring them to perfection neuer possessed the soule wherein they were for good as wee may see in Balaam for good desires looke to the meanes and will doe any thing to accomplish them and not rest vntill in some measure they haue embraced the desired good Now call ouer what hath beene said againe Vse concerning this constancie and practicall disposition of gracious desires and compare it with ours I warrant you it will discouer vnto vs the vanitie of our desires which goe vnder the name of good and yet are blasted before perfected and doe end in shadowes There is nothing more comfortable vnto vs than to be brought within the compasse of the couenant of grace A posteriori we know that none can conclude their interest in it but such as haue faith and repentance When we fall to the examining of these things we comfort our selues with this That they are blessed who hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. for we by the power of our consciences assuming that we are as hungrie after them as DAVID and his souldiers when they eat the Shew-bread and as thirstie as Sampson after his fight who cried out Giue me water I die for thirst doe conclude that we haue faith and repentance Seeing therefore that we doe rest vpon our desires is it not fit that wee should trie them Yes surely Lay then then to DAVIDS and we shall finde that his were officiously constant and ours are negligently fickle Doe wee desire faith If our desires be gracious we will not only doe it for a fit as a jade will goe vpon speed for a plunge but as a woman is at deaths doore till she haue her longing we will be heart-sicke till we haue it Oh how we pant to God Lord that I may beleeue Lord increase my faith How doe wee presse vpon the meanes and will neuer giue rest till we finde Iesus Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith there killing sin and quickening grace Doe we desire repentance If our desires be gracious we will neuer rest till in some measure we finde it yea when we enioy it in a lesse measure we will not suffer our selues to be at peace till we finde it in a greater yea wee will feare alwaies lest wee haue not repented enough and therefore we will rowle our repentance together and renew it daily Thus should our desires be constant and as heauie things doe naturally tend downeward to the Center Plutarch so should our desires tend to practise and perfection But as one doth write of young Marius that by reason of the stoutnesse of his talke and gesture hee obtained to be called the sonne of Mars but when hee came to proofe hee gained a new name and was called the sonne of Venus so may wee write of our desires that by our words they appeare gracious but by our actions they are led by our soules which liue in our senses to be too basely effeminate and fickle As we are wise-hearted Christians let vs be carefull not to be deceiued in them To this end let vs neuer forget their offices both for choice and constancie that when they are brought vnto their triall before the iudgement seat of God we may pleade Lord we haue carried and spent our desires according to thine assignement Thus we passe from their office to their obiect as it is set downe in this place namely the house of God which is to be considered two waies 1. In the type that is as that place which God did then ordinarily allow for his publike seruice 2. In the truth that is as the true Church of God the body of Christ whereof this house of God whereof DAVID speakes in this place was but a shadow If we consider it as the Tabernacle which was the place whither the Saints of God did assemble for the publike worship and seruice of God then in the obiect of DAVIDS desires I would haue you to obserue this point That The godly mans heart is caried after nothing more vehemently than after the house of God The Hebrewes had a prouerbe Blessed is he that dusteth himselfe in the dust of the Temple by which out of the height of their desires they bare witnesse to DAVIDS speech Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 and shewed that they were glad with him when others said vnto them We will goe into the house of the Lord. Psal 122.1 It is true indeed that DAVID did earnestly desire life at Gods hand when hee saith Returne O Lord deliuer my soule But why was it For in death saith he there is no remembrance of thee Psal 6.4 5. in the graue who shall praise thee Marke I pray that which set DAVIDS desire on float was not the kingdomes and glories of the world but that hee might praise God after the manner of the liuing with them that keepe holy day He doth as it were set his owne glory vpon one hand and the worship of God in the assembly of the Saints on the other and his heart was more violently carried after this than after that Thus also was it with Paul though he desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ yet when he saw his place in the house of God and the vse which the Church would haue of him he knew not what to choose Phil. 1.22 Hence is it also that the Church in the first and chiefe place crieth out to Christ Cant. 1.1 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth You will aâ—ke me what are these I answer There are two sorts of kisses betwixt Christ and vs First those which we giue to Christ that is obedience and subiection whereof the Psalmist speaketh Psal 2.12 Kisse the Sonne lest he be angrie Secondly those which Christ giueth to vs which are not the kisses of his lips as if ordinary outward and bodily Prouerbs but of his mouth what are those God hath a wisdome which is also sometimes called Ioh. 1.1 The Word and this is the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God He hath a word to signifie it and this is the Scripture which is therefore called the signe of his good pleasure to vs Voluntas signi and hee hath a mouth to declare and expresse it which is the Ministery of the Word in the Church therefore the Prophets vsed this phrase Esay 1.20 The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This then was that which the Churches heart was so violently carried after that God would intimate and manifest his dearest loue vnto her in his garden of Spices in his Wine-seller in the assembly of the Saints by the Ministery of the Word Vse Oh that this might quicken our dead and dull hearts to the house of God in
in praying with him yea though his tongue be the pen of a ready writer Truly none in it selfe but as the sighes and grones of the heart are linked together in loue to knocke at the gates of heauen to talke with God to binde and open his hands to goe into Gods treasury and fill our selues of Gods dainties or at the least to view them and by confidence to craue and enjoy them What beauty is there to heare a company of people to cleere their throats and to chant out a Psalme or song yea though spirituall None in it selfe but as by the voice the graces of the spirit in the heart are exercised as faith in promises feare in threatnings loue and joy in mercies humility in arguments of power and the like When melody is thus made to God in the hid man of the heart this is beauty indeed These are also the beauty of the Lord in our Assemblies saue that now they are more beautifull because knowledge abounds as the waters of the Sea Es 11. in a more plentifull and seasoning manner as also now the sacrifice is more excellent being that one once for all appearing before God for vs and presenting his merits to God as a perfect and sufficient attonement in our behalfe in the highest heauens where is glory for euermore Vse 1 Seeing therefore that the house of God hath such beauty in it let vs looke vpon it and so carry our selues that it may not be wronged by vs but that it may haue the best aduantage to doe vs good To presse this I come first to you my fellow labourers in Christ intreating you in the bowels of our common Sauiour not to besmeare this beauty of the Lord to make the people out of loue with it You know that once the sonnes of Ely made the people to abhorre the sacrifices once was too too often God forbid it should be so againe It is true wee ordinarily complaine of our people and truly wee haue too just cause it being the fault of most to seeke their owne and not either Gods by giuing him his duty or ours by giuing vs our due but be we sure that the blacke coale be not in our own hands It is truly said that our fancy first wrought a face in the Moone from the vnequall enlightning of her vnequall substance and that afterward it was thought that the Sunne had a face too as it may seeme because it should not be outfaced of the Moone God forbid that we who should be as the Sunne in glorious presidents amid this crooked generation should haue our blots and spots because they are to bee found in the Moone and other sublunary creatures within the cope and compasse of our lots our earthly heauens It will condemne them not helpe vs if they bee worse than wee Let them goe alone yet with our compassions teares prayers preachings and examples following to reuoke them but for vs take wee heede that we lay not the least blot vpon the beauty of Gods house either by our Preaching or by our Practice We may doe it by preaching when wee doe discouer either Idlenesse or Pride in preaching Sometimes Idlenesse spewes in the face of this beauty when wee speake whatsoeuer commeth next hand and making a shift to out-runne the houre-glasse with some verball discourse neuer aime before we shoot to pierce and batter the throne of Satan that Christ may dwell in our peoples hearts by faith Sometimes pride creepes vp into the Pulpet and doth so ruffle in false colours that the humble hearer cannot see God in his ordinance Hence is it that euery word shall be so marshalled and euery sentence with its apt fall shâ—ll lie in such aequipage as if the owner were cousen German to that proud man of sinne whose name is six-hundred-sixty-six 666 Hence is it that some are content to borrow their preachings from his Chaplaines as Cowesta Bercorius and a rabble of his croaking Postillers wherein they onely magnifie Player-like conceits and Frier-like elegancies and so make themselues like tinckling Cymbals tickling the eare but not turning the heart vnto God Hearken my brother what Zerubbabel answered to the enemies of Iudah who offered their seruice craftily to build the Temple Ezr. 4 3. It is not for you but for vs to build the house vnto our God So let vs say vnto Popish Authors We need none of your helpe to instruct in righteousnesse and to conuert and comfort our brethren that they may be temples of the holy Ghost Doe we not know that it is a Iesuiticall brag that we are not able to stand before them for learning and eloquence and that all Europe is beholding to their Church for her knowledge Do we not see how ready they are to feede our humors by printing and reprinting such moth-eaten Bookes of theirs as the * Such as think that a pâ—ore Amos plaine Preacher is not worth the hearing Amaziahs of the time doe most hunt after Shall wee thus seed our enemies humors and in magnifying our selues make them swell who are too proud already God forbid I know that there may bee vse of Popish Writers to shew that true mens siluer may be in a theeues purse to confute themselues and to shew the confusions of Babel as is told them to their faces while they are driuen to say through want of sufficient answers wee are wounded with our owne weapons saue that they haue this poore and silly sleight Pâ—â—sâ—â—js â—eunis coâ—sigâ—inâ— that all their diuisions in opinion are compounded in the vnity of their monstrous head before whom they will lay their hands vpon their mouthes when he shall determine yet to lay our foundation in them as too too many doe in Aquinas his Schoole and to build our congregations by them with such poore and powerlesse conceits as are spunne out of the word of the spirit by their wisdome of the flesh doth deforme the beauty of Gods house Secondly we may besmeare the beauty of the Lord by practise to wit partly by ordinarinesse partly by worldlinesse and partly by wickednesse First wee may doe it by ordinarinesse when we doe too much frequent the company of our people It is true that Paul himselfe vpon occasion met his friends at the three Tauernes where no doubt there was much passage much people but seldome hath some sauour in it especially in sports and recreations when mirth breeds familiarity and familiarity contempt Oh how much honour doth bowlings cardings dicings and the like steale from the persons and seruice of the Tribe of Leui who willingly forget that all things are lawfull but all things are not expedient whereas seldomnesse doth make the young men when they see vs to hide themselues the aged to arise and stand vp the Princes to stay talke Iob 29.8 9. and lay their hands vpon their mouthes as Iob speaketh of himselfe Secondly it may bee done by our worldlinesse If with Iudas
and depth of Gods loue to vs in Christ and seeâ—ng there superabundant store of loue merit power to doe vs euerlasting good our hearts are ouercome to ecche out to God I come Lord I come and so the Father bestoweth the Sonne vpon vs and vs vpon him Vse Now men brethren and fathers hearken what securitanes can perswade themselues that they are of this Church though they hold their heads neuer so high amongst vs none none can doe it Are they that are corrupt and lie rotting in carnall wisedome and proud enmitie against God that goe a whoring after pleasures profits honours according to their seuerall dispositions are they I say cut off from the wilde oliue Are they whose soules were neuer filled with shame sorrow feare for sin and who neuer from a bleeding heart confessed their particular sinnes vnto God or from a melting soule begged pardon resoluing for euer after to be disposed as God shall please are they I say pared and made fit to grow into one bodie with the head Are they who neuer haue had experience of sin-sicke soules who doe neuer see by any comfortable adiudication their wants supplied in Christ who do not pant after him in such meanes as God hath appointed are they I say ingrafted into Christ No no when these things come to passe heauen and hell will be all one kingdome As you will be kind and louing people to your soules therfore apply these three particulars to your hearts and neuer thinke your selues to be of the true Church though you are in it till you find them in some measure wrought in you Gentlemen who are giuen to that studie know that there is an abatement of honour in Heraldrie to him that telleth a lie or is deuoted to the apron or committeth Idolatry to Bacchus And do we not thinke that God will clip the wings of those who thinke to fly aloft to this honour to be of the true Church and yet liue in sinne Yes write this for a truth that as sure as all are not Israel according to the spirit which are of Israel according to the flesh so surely none are vniuocall members of that Church wherof Christ is the head but those who find in themselues this totall alteration from their estate naturall to a feeling and comfortable estate in Christ Iesus But secondly you will now aske me what are those ligatures and ties whereby we are knit vnto Christ that wee may grow together with him For those are of the true Church who are knit vnto Christ by the true bands I answer therefore that they are the sauing and sauourie truths in the word of God This is that alone which makes our faith apt to conglutinate and glew vs to Christ Who is my mother saith Christ and who are my brethren Matth. 12.48 Who are those that are knit vnto me by the neerest bond They that heare the word of God and doe it that is Luke 8.21 they that receiue the truth of Gods word by faith and conforme themselues vnto it these are the men Antiquitie cannot knit vs vnto Christ for age is no crowne of honour except it be found in the wayes of righteousnesse Succession cannot doe it except together with it wee depart not from the true faith which was formerly holden Bonum et verum convertuntur Vnitie cannot doe it except it be good and nothing is good which is not true The bare titles of Catholike and Apostolike cannot doe it except together we forsake not the Catholike and Apostolike doctrine and truth Holinesse cannot doe it except it be holinesse agreeable to the truth without which there is none for Christ saith Sanctifie them by thy truth Ioh. 17. Thus you see that truth is that very glew and cyment in the hand of faith that must knit vs vnto our head Vse Oh therfore let vs striue and contend for the faith as Iude speaketh which was once giuen vnto the Saints Iude v. 3. If euer we stroue for it now is the time now more than euer because their destruction is neerer doth the Pope hound out as our Soueraign termeth it great swarmes of Iesuites to disgrace the Scriptures and to steale away the word of truth from vs. Blessed is he that holdeth fast in this fearefull time of temptation Apoc. 16.15 Behold I come as a theefe saith Christ blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments of holy truth and true holines lest he walke naked and men see his filthines Ob. It may be you will say That if truth knit vs to our head truth is at Rome Sol. I answer that it may be so for Antichrist ruffles as God in the temple of God 2. Thes 2.4 which hath the Scripture but the Church of Rome the Popes apostacie consisting of head and members vnited by the doctrine of Trent hath it not Ob. If you say that the truth was once at Rome Sol. I grant it but it doth not follow that therefore it should be there now A fuisse ad esse non sequitur Es 1.21 22. 1. Thess 1.8 the faithfull Citie may become a harlot and her wine may be mixed with water and Thessalonica from whom sounded out the word of the Lord in Macedonia and Achaia and whose faith which was towards God spread abroad in all quarters is now a cabine of vncleane Turkes yea and who knoweth not that a chaste virgin may in time become a stinking harlot Euen so is it with Rome Ob. If you aske mee When went the truth from Rome for some or other must needs obserue it Sol. I answer Is it not gone except I can shew the time An apple may be rotten though I cannot shew the time when it began because it began at the coare A man may be sicke vnto death though I cannot tell when his disease began to preuaile against him So the Church of Rome though by reason of her strength and that good temper shee was in while Martyrs possessed her seat she stood out long before she kept her bed because she was not heart-sicke at the first infecting of her blood in which respect haply her first lying downe cannot be obserued of euerie eye yet hee that hath but one eye may see that she is sicke vnto death by her sicke and powerlesse actions as her surfetting vpon temporall glory Laesae actiones laesas arguunt facultates her vomiting vp of the wholesome food of Gods word her desire not to be stirred from her old rotten couch her pettishnesse if we doe but touch her to trie whether sicke or sound and many the like symptomes not only of a declining but of a desperately consuming estate Ob. Yea but you will say That in other heresies the persons broaching and the time when is obserued Sol. I answer That it doth not therefore follow that this can be done in Poperie for it is a mysterie as the Apostle saith and as Iohn saith Great Babylon the
iudgements should sit at hand to giue aduice our affections should attend vpon them to maintaine and defend all honest resolutions and actions against all commers and lastly our desires should worke naturall instincts to practise them and the whole man should doe accordingly Or thus God hath placed the powers of the soule in excellent order for the gouernment of man Our mindes in a throne aboue to gouerne all the motions dispositions passions and affections of the heart our hearts are set in the midst to receiue information from the mindes to direct themselues and our desires and valorously to flie vpon them by feare loue ioy anger and the like if they shalâ— rebell our desires are set lowest to be corrected by the heart and gouerned by the head Now that God may haue an account how this worke within vs goeth forward and we may be furthered in our course to happinesse God hath appointed our consciences to keepe Assizes to try whether we haue beene faithfull yea or no. The second ground of our Assize is in respect of our selues that we may be the better prepared for the great Assize of the day of Iudgement whensoeuer it shall come Yee know that we beleeue that such a day shall come and that Christ shall keepe it in that nature which he assumed and wherein he suffered As therefore all our musterings before particular Captaines should not be for shew or fee but the better to fit vs to carry our selues in a martiall manner before our King or Generall if need require so these particular Assizes are but for the better fitting of vs for our great account before and vnto God And therefore when Dauid had arraigned himselfe at home he goeth to God and saith Try and examine me whether there be any way of wickednesse yea or no. Vse What shall I say now I will intreat you so farre to tender the glory of God and the good of your soules as diligently to attend to the businesse within Our soules doe so liue in our senses and wee are so inured to earthly things Facti sumus fugitivi a cordibus nostris that wee are made runnagates from our owne hearts But if euer we would haue a glorious triall before our God let vs see how our cause will stand or fall before the barre of our owne hearts I know that in the case of good we may be deceiued by the voice of conscience For the law of nature which should direct vs being in a great part dashed out and ignorance of the word being wilfully fauoured there are many fearefull euils which we doe not apprehend as euils as for example to sinne in thought is nothing for thoughts are free to sinne in word is but a word and what is that so we sinne not against our neighbour it is no matter though we make bold with God to sinne with the times to doe as others doe to walke in the waies of our fathers is good religion yea and besides such is the darknesse of our cogitations that in the midst of diligence that which we know is not the tenth tenth part of what we are ignorant of How therefore can it be other but that our owne hearts should deceiue vs in good yet in the case of euill we may assure our selues that it doth not make vs worse than we are in and of our selues Though in affliction oâ—â—onâ—cience oâ— panâ—â—â— oâ— the new birth â—t may make our estates worse thâ—n they are we being more senâ—â—ble of our â—stâ—tes from within than of that from without As therefore it is not safe for vs to rest in the voice of conscience when it makes vs good for Paul knew nothing by himselfe yet was he not thereby iustified so we must be carefull to heare what conscience saith when it layeth sinne to our charges that so Gods Assize there may goe on to Gods glory and our good What will it auaile vs to be crowned with a May-flower garland of the praises of this world if we walke not in the presence of our owne hearts Quest It may be you will say If God hath granted out a warrant for the keeping of this Assize why then is it not feelingly kept in euery man Answ I answer that wee may finde foure causes of this The first is ignorance For as the eye worketh not in a darke place where it cannot by a fitted conueiance receiue variety of obiects so the conscience worketh not where there is not the light of knowledge from the word of God to direct it by The second is hardnesse of heart for as a man that is dead or hath a deaded or astonished bodie for the present cannot feele any order or disorder any whip lash or gash so a seared crusted and senselesse conscience is not sensible of the cursed garboiles in the soule nor capable of any orderly proceeding against them The third is spirituall madnesse for as mad men cannot keepe any faire quarter with themselues much lesse can it be expected that he should wisely execute any deputation from others so spiritually mad men who are out of their wits with selfe-loue and loue of this world who runne vpon the pikes of hell-dangers who will not be perswaded by the praiers and teares of their best friends are neither fit nor able to receiue order from God for so high and so excellent imployment The last is pride For as in a countrey where there is no disorder if it were possible in these cursed daies of sinne for such an one to be there is no Assize because no need so when we are Pharisies in iustifying our selues priding our hearts in our ciuill righteousnesse and therefore setting our passions on worke vpon whomsoeuer shall discouer their hellish nakednesse there is no inward Assize because as they thinke there is no need Quest It may be you will say seeing these things doe hinder it how may I further the keeping of it Answ I answer As in generall we must striue to root out ignorance to rent our hearts to come vnto our selues as the prodigall and to be nothing yea hell in our owne eies so in particular I would commend three meanes to this end especially The first is our praiers to God to write the records of his truth in our mindes and hearts An Assize cannot be kept without law nor this without the law of God But if once we can get the law written in our mindes and in our hearts so as it doth not onely gild our vnderstandings but goare our hearts and leaue a new impression of holinesse to the Lord then we shall see a full Court presently and such wounding inditements for sinnes past with such crying out for the Psalme of mercy that we shall haue no rest till we haue rowled our selues vpon God in Christ and haue found our selues in some measure sealed with the spirit of promise against the day of redemption The second meanes is our not disturbing the Court but suffering
God The third ground whereto the doctrine of this Text is referred is this that True Religion is a mercifull Religion It maketh vs saith Iames here to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities Religion is as it were an order and seruice after Gods owne heart who is a God of loue and mercie When God promiseth to giue his people Priests who should pitie them and haue a mercifull care of them he calleth them Priests after his owne heart that is Ierem. who shall be mercifull as he is mercifull Religion therefore being an issue of Gods will and nature it must needs sauour of mercie and compassion Againe the fruits of Religion are Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Galath 5.22 Goodnesse which all are either mother daughter members or companions of that which wee call Mercie And how can Religion be other which is the exercise of a mother The Church is called the Mother of vs all and we know Galath 4. from that ancient iudgement of Salomon that shee who had most affection to the childe was the true mother that the exercise of a mother is mercie Now from this ground I would inforce two things Vse 1 First that euery one of vs must striue to be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull This is that which will assure vs that we are truly religious No mercie no religion God is immediatly mercifull to vs himselfe when he sends his Spirit into our hearts to teach vs correct and comfort vs according to our necessities and hee maketh all the creatures of heauen and earth to be liberall vnto vs and helpfull in some kinde or other and all to this end that we being knit vnto him by true religion may be prouoked to be mercifull also yea we must be so euen vnto the enemies of religion We see many times that no ciuill cause maketh a more seuere and cruel warre than Religion doth When the Reubenites Gadites and Manassites had set vp an Altar by Iordan their brethren thinking that it had beene to separate religion presently mustered their forces against them The Iewes and Samaritanes being of diuers religions euen Peter could smell of this naturall crueltie saying Master call for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes but Christ crushed it saying Yee know not of what Spirit you are Yea saith Christ speaking of them who shall take his Disciples to taske for religion sake They shall excommunicate you and kill you and in so doing they shall thinke that they doe God good seruice But we must striue against this crueltie and exercise mercie as the proper fruit of religion If we shall beleeue the declamations of the Iesuits they will tell vs that yet wee are not mercifull and therefore they crie out against our crueltie exercised vpon the Pope-holy Catholikes in tearing chopping and burning of them together with the making of their members a prey to the fowles of heauen and the like Is this mercie say they No surely as it is barely looked vpon without searching into the cause Yet when wee doe see many knowne Papists in the Land and none capitally punished but Traitors and when we doe see that such are punished no otherwise than traytours were punished when Popery vsurped vpon vs and when withall we doe consider that we haue no law to put any Papist to death for his conscience sake or if wee haue a law in that ancient Statute of their owne concerning the burning of Heretikes by vertue whereof they consumed vs that yet none of their bodies euer felt those flames when we doe see I say and consider these things we do reioice in our religion finding mercie in it and doe encourage our selues to goe on still both to proceed mildly against them to pitie and to pray for them and by walking holily before them to trie if yet God will haue mercie on them and bring them to know the Truth Vse 2 Secondly Wee learne also from the former ground that wee haue iust cause to suspect that the religion of the Church of Rome is not the true Religion We know that Rome is spirituall Aegypt Apoc. 11. and that shee letteth the corpses of the Saints lie dead in the streets We see that her instruments are fire and sword and that her meanes are power and policie by hooke and crooke as we say Euery time the fifth of Nouember returneth it calleth to our minde enough of this kinde if we could forget the Popes practises against the Emperours We know that their partie would haue destroyed our whole State euen the breath of our nostrils and creame of our Land at one blow Wee see also so farre as their close policie will giue vs leaue the crueltie of their Inquisitions They aske vs where is our religion saue in little nookes and corners of the world We answer that they might soone see if they would for it would burst out as the noone day in the midst of their darkest darknesse if their Holy-houses as they wrongfully call them did not deuoure the professors of it so soone as euer they looke out We see also how many men women young men and maids were by the cursed Idoll of the Masse brought to their buriall in their owne ashes They dare not for their liues lay this their crueltie aside lest liuing so like open and innocent Doues as we doe in respect of their Iesuited Papists they should soone bring their multitudes into a bunch or two after the Vintage or a gleaning after the haruest As therefore Iaacob said of Simeon and Leui Gen. 49.6 7. in whose habitations were the instruments of crueltie so let vs say to Popery Into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell Ob. It may bee you will say Are they not full of workes of mercy in respect of vs Sol. It is true indeed that they are full in shew yet consider with me three things First If wee should neuer so much abound in them if we should exhaust our goods estates lands and liuings yet it would be nothing in their eyes They account them but morall and not religious workes euen such as Heathens doe worke and all because we are not Papists No maruell therefore though they cannot see what good we doe See Doctor Will. Cat. of good W. in the end of his Synop Heb. 6.10 Secondly Blessed be God there are thousands amongst vs of whom according to their abilities we may say as the Apostle to the Hebrewes God is not vnrighteous that hee should forget their worke and labour of loue which they haue shewed toward his name in that they haue ministred to the Saints and yet minister There are many I say whose bowels of mercy doe carry them to counsell the giddy Consule castâ—ga solare remitte fâ—r ora correct the obstinate forgiue the penitent comfort the wounded