Saviour of the World 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons for all the Sundaies of the Year Fitted to the great Necessities and for the supplying the wants of Preaching in many parts of this Nation Together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacrednesse and Separation of the Office Mininisterial in fol. 3. Episcopacy asserted in 40. 4. The Liberty of Prophecying in 40. 5. An Apology for authorized and Set-forms of Liturgy in 40. 6. A Discourse of Baptism its institution and efficacy upon all Beleivers in 40. 7. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 120. 8. The Rule and Exercises in holy dying in 120. 9. A short Catechism for institution of young persons in the Christian Religion in 120. Certamen Religiosum or a Conference between the late King of England and the late Lord Marquis of Worcester concerning Religion at Ragland Castle Together with a vindication of the Protestant Cause by Chr. Cartwright in 40. The Psalter of David with Titles and Collects according to the matter of each Psalm by the Right honorable Chr. Hanon in 120. Boanerges and Barnabas or Judgement and Mercy for wounded and afflicted souls in several Soliloquies by Francis Quarles in 120. The Life of Faith in Dead Times by Chr. Hadson in 120. Motives for prayer upon the seven days of the Week by Sir Richard Baker Knight in 120. The Guide unto True Blessedness or a Body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures directing man to the saving knowledge of God by Sam. Crooke in 120. Six excellent Sermons upon severall occasions preached by Edward Willan Vicar of Hoxne in 40. The Dipper dipt or the Anabaptists duck'd and plung'd over head and ears by Daniel Featly D. D. in 40. Hermes Theologus or a Divine Mercury new descants upon old Records by The Wodenote in 120. Philosophical Elements concerning Government and Civil society by Tho. Hobbes of Malmesbury in 120. An Essay upon Statius or the five first books of Pabl Papinius Statius his Thebais by Tho. Stephens Schoolmaster in S. Edmonds Bury in 80. Nomenclatura brevis Auglo-Latino Graeca in usum Scholae westmonasterionsis per F. Gregory in 80. Grammatices Graecae Enchiridion in usum Scholae Collegialis Wigorniae in 80. A Discourse of holy Love by Sir George Strode Knight in 120. The Saints Honey-Comb full of Divine Truths by Rich. Gove Preacher of Henton S. George in Somersetshire in 80. Devotion digested intoseveral Discourses and Meditations upon the Lords most holy Prayer Together with additionall Exercitations upon Baptism The Lords Supper Heresies Blasphemy The Greatures Sin The souls pantings after God The mercies of God The souls complaint of its absence from God by Peter Samwaies Fellow lately resident in Trinity Colledge Cambridge in 120. Of the Division between the English and Romish Church upon Reformation by Hen. Fern D. D. in 130. Directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures by John white M.A. 80. The Exemplary Lives and memorable Acts of 9. the most worthy women of the world 3 Jewes 3 Gentiles 3 Christians by Tho. Heywood in 40. The Saints Legacies or a Collection of Promises out of the Word of God in 120. Judicium universitatis Oxoniensis de Solemni Lega Federe Juramento Negativo c. in 30. A Treatise concerning Divine providence very seasonable for all Ages by Tho. Morton Bishop of Duresme in 80. An account of the Church Catholick where it was before the Reformation by Edward Boughen D. D. in 40. An Advertisement to the Jury-men of England touching Witches written by the Author of the Observations upon M. Hobbs Leviathan in 40.
fruits may we exspect from those roots of bitternesse which have sprung up amongst us I mean the contentions and divisions of thy children which have troubled our peace and whereby so many are defiled Heb. 12.15 Jam. 3.16 seeing that where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evill work The truth of which hath been for a long time exemplified not only in their strange disorder and chaos-like confusion of all things but also in their cruell demeanour and more then barbarous practises one towards another no lesse hatefull to God the author of order unity and peace the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort then pernicious to men created after his own image and likenesse And however more pretend to holinesse now then in former times And this indeed is the very soul of our Christian profession few of ordinary prudence and conscience are so weak sighted that they cannot look through their thin vail or fine web of hypocrisie and plainly discern this form of godlinesse from the power thereof For albeit they have the voice of Jacob and would be thought thereby to have the heart of Jacob also yet the roughnesse of their hands and their manner of hunting evidently shew that there is in them the profanenesse and cruelty of Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right and then purposed with himself to redeem it again with the price of his Brothers bloud Gen. 17. But what was the cause that they so carefully put on the outward disguise and mask of holinesse Surely to omit the great repute which they gained by this means at a very cheap rate with those of their own opinion and faction and those high titles of singularity and spirituall preheminence above others in the world generally accounted of by them as wicked and reprobate persons because not of their society and fellowship the which they usually received from their chieftains and leaders as properly belonging to themselves and their disciples and those worldly advantages to say no more which privately at least attended on their novell profession This perchance was not the meanest that they might thus check and shame the open profanenesse grosse impiety irreligion and sinne of their professed adversaries the which to speak the truth was so eminent oft-times and notorious in many of them as might startle a meer naturall conscience to hear or behold it and cause therein an abhorrency from their courses so opposite as well to right reason as to sanctifying grace much more in a minde enlightned though with the smallest ray of Evangelicall truth For what could be more strange or hatefull unto men in whom was any spark remaining either of common Grace or of morall Vertue and who were not wholly possessed with Atheisme and carryed on with fullest bent to Libertinisme and ungodly practise then to hear those that did professe themselves to be the followers of Christ to have communion with him by faith and to expect glory from him scoffing at the purest acts of his worship blaspheming or profaning his holy Name by causlesse oathes fearfull imprecations direfull execrations and such like speeches not to be expressed again without horrour and amazement and not only so but glorying likewise in this their abominable wickednesse and in other of like damnable nature namely 1 Pet. 4.3 4. in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine and of strong drink revellings wherein they thought it strange that others ran not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evill of them What Christian eye could behold this and not melt with sorrow and indignation against it What pious heart can think thereon and not both detest it and sigh for it In the mean time how much did this their apparent and over daring impudence in sin commend and grace the seeming Saint-like conversation of their adversaries Many of which notwithstanding all their glorious profession and shew of godlinesse were no better then those Scribes and Pharisees against whom our blessed Saviour cloth denouounce so many curses for their inward hypocrasie and iniquity veiled with the specious dresse of outward sanctity Mat. 23. see especially vers 27 28. Luk. 11. where see vers 39 44. And this was sufficiently attested by their spirituall pride high disdain and contempt of others never so little differing from them in judgement or in practise by their spirit of contradiction and rebellion against the present power whether secular or spirituall unnaturall affection injustice and falshood in common commerce by their rigour and cruelty shewn upon all occasions to the diffenting Brethren In a word by their want of mercy and barrennesse of good works towards the indigent and needy not to mention the envie emulation strife and division with the corrupt fruits and effects which proceed from these very rife and ordinary amongst themselves As for some who gave them the right hands of fellowship we cannot without manifest breach of charity judge of them otherwise then that they were simple harmlesse and well meaning men who being offended and not without cause at the corruption of the times and scandalous lives of many in the sacred office of the Ministry and deluded by the fair speeches good words smooth carriage plausible pretences of religious aims and ends not warrantable only but necessary also of those who made it their businesse to cause divisions and offences between thy children were drawn first into a dislike of thy policy and afterward to a separation from thee if not in appearance yet in heart though at last in both when it was more safe and advantagious then before And indeed their strict conformity in other respects to the precepts of the Gospell with their constancy in suffering for the defence of their cause did argue as much to moderate men and not possessed with prejudicate hatred of their opinions and persons for such as these could never be induced to entertain a good conceit of them no not in the least measure but contrariwise judged their best actions to be counterfeit and false and thought their greatest sufferings to proceed from pride and contumacy of spirit rather then from blinde ignorance of the truth or from errour of conscience Now as it comes to passe between those who extremely hate one the other that they endevour as much as in them lyeth to be unlike each the other in their manner of life outward behaviour garbe and fashion and every thing for the most part which is pleasing to the one is displeasing to the other and oft-times for this reason only because his adversary taketh delight therein so it fared in this case for what the one party did approve and allow of in their practise the other would dislike and condemn upon this weak and causlesse ground and in like manner perchance as readily receive and embrace what the other did refuse and reject for the same reason or indeed rather want of reason For what can be more irrationall yea senslesse
probable that worldly interest is most predominant in the severall opposite parties yet every one is taught to open his mouth wide for the cause and truth of God and none more then they who most blaspheme his name by their impure doctrines which they commend to the world for those of Christ Jesus though as contrary to what he spake as darknesse is to light And because these are the fruits of faction and schism sometimes as it is now apparent with us as well as the causes thereof at other times I wish men all to remember how deep and sad their accounts will one day be who have any wayes procured these dangerous maladies to the State and Church or fomented the same by word or deed For wee plainly see to what condition both are reduced at this present and every man may be so far a Prophet as to soretel yet greater calamities like to come upon us except the Almighty doth wonderfully appeare for us and that speedily but I for bear neither shall I stirre the coals of their lusts nor strike the drunkards cup in indignation out of his hand nor rowse thy delicate Dames from their bed of pleasure and sloth whose life is nothing else but sleep and lust and putting on of apparell not becomming women professing godlinesse and costly fare with ease and sport 1 Pet. 3.3 with 1 Tim. 2.10 according to the severall varieties of them all Nor shall I labour to dissolve the Adamantine hearts of thy creditours into humane pity towards their poore obnoxious debters For have not these been the frequent and faithfull endeavours of thy learned and pious Ministers from time to time for many years together Jer. 9. â— But their habitation was in the midst of deceit Zech. 7.11 through deceit they refused to know the Lord yea thy children refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear Or were like those of whom the Lord complaineth and describeth to the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 33.31 32. who with their mouth shewed much love to the Prophet and to his message but their heart in the mean while went after their covetousnesse to whom he was as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they heard his words but they did them not In like manner thy sons and daughters were onely hearers of the Evangelicall word but left the doing thereof to others who were better affected with the same then they contenting themselves with this empty shadow of godlines that they were continually present to the outward Ordinance of the word did countenance or favour the messengers thereof wherefore hath the Lord of hosts melted them and tryed them Ier. 9.7 for how should he otherwise doe for the daughters of his people And oh that thy children had been admonished and reformed by the corrections of their heavenly Father Isa 59. But alas their transgressions are multiplyed before the Lord and their sins testifie against them for their transgressions are with them and as for their iniquities they know them In transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from their God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood And judgement is turned away backward and justice standeth a for off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey or is accounted mad yea they proceed from evill to evill and they know not me saith the Lord. Shall he not therefore visit for these things and though he defer his wrath for a season expecting with patience their repentance and conversion unto him will it not break forth at the last to consume his adversaries as in a moment For while they be folded together as thorns Nah. 1.10 and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Thou hast occasioned and seen with mercilesse hearts and eyes the grievous sufferings of thy countrey and shalt thou goe altogether together unpunished is thy sinne lesse yea is it not much more then theirs have not thy lampes shined forth most gloriously to thy selfe and others when they have sate in darknesse And yet thou hast loved darknesse rather then light because thy works were evill For thou dost represent unto us the wickednesse of the whole Nation contracted indeed into a lesser volume but more polished and refined by the art of thine iniquity overlayed with the faire gilt of hypocrisy but underneath more foule and ugly then that of the people both in the sight of God and of those who know his wayes a right Thus deceit is with thee more elegant and smooth in expression but more dangerous and dark in the mystery then it is with those of the Countrey In like manner other sins goe more fine and trim in their dresse here then in the rurall Townes or inferiour Cities but the skin underneath is much blacker and the shape more deformed then it is with them Only impudence is more daring in thy children then in any of the Nation who generally are as yet uncapable of that immodesty which is every where common with thee And may they never learn more of that from thee of which perchance they have too much already Now as thou hast in thee the sins of those ample and glorious Cities which the Lord destroyed in times past for their wickednesse but are still set forth for example of his Divine justice to us that are alive this day as well as to them that have gone before us and to all generations to come so fear and expect their judgements and the more because his mercies of all sorts have been greater towards thee then them and thy warnings also of approaching vengeance more frequent signal then theirs and yet behold their memorial is perished with them Psal 3.6 But the Lord shall endure for ever the same in justice as in mercy to all men throughout all ages Take heed therefore lest with an overflowing floud he make an utter end of the place thereof Nah. 1.8 9. so that affliction rise not up the second time Security is the daughter of sin but the mother of danger Prov. 16.18 Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall Thou maiest happily as thy elder sisters did before thee dream of perpetuity when desolation is at hand But oh remember that there is no stability with iniquity no safety in sin no peace to the wicked Babylon thou knowest that was heretofore given to pleasures as thou art now dwelled carelesly as thou dost said in her heart as thou perchance speakest to thy self Is 47.8 9. at this time I am and none else besides me I shall not sit as a widow neither shall I know the losse of children But these two things came to her as the Prophet foretold
it by experience in my self more difficult to struggle with it and to strive against it with successe then to bear the crosse or to suffer reproach and persecution from men for the Name of Christ Jesus For I am by nature very prone to impatiency especially at certain seasons and this I look upon as my worst enemy here on earth against which I pray and fight continually As for those that have any way done me wrong either in goods or in good name or any way else besides Psal 59 3. not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord I freely forgive them in the presence of the Almighty and daily pour forth a supplication for them before the throne of grace In the mean while comforting my self in this 2 Cor. 7.1 that I have wronged no man corrupted no man defrauded no man and waiting for the appearance of that day wherein every mans work shall be made manifest 1 Cor. 3.13 and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is And surely I might much more comfortably endure mine own afflictions did not the thought of present publick calamities and of those that are likely to follow upon the head of these perplex my minde and adde a great weight to the burden of the former For God hath apparently declared his displeasure against the nation by altering the naturall course of things in the seasons of the year in our bodies and in what not besides these It is hard to tell whether the like immoderate drought as of late hath ever been known in the land before the most aged are silent and wonder at it with cause enough of admiration and astonishment Now that both this and our many sicknesses are the sure effects of Gods wrath and curse upon us appeareth from Dent. 28.22.23 Neither may we hope for better things but are still to expect worse then these which have already befallen us because our sin like that of Judah is written with a pen of iron Jer. 17.1 and with the point of a diamond it is graven upon the table of our heart The Lord take not his peace from us as he did from them even loving kindnesse and mercies Some indeed glory much in the successe of the Army hitherto very great and strange and promise as much or rather much more from them for the future as also from the Navie In like manner they count much upon the prudence and policy of those who sit at the stern but sin neverthelesse unrepented of by the people and unreformed by the magistrate doth still threaten us with wrath and vengeance from the Almighty And what safeguard can a Navie at Sea though never so well set forth or an Army on foot in the land how numerous and resolute soever afford us from the Lord of sea and land Job 9. 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him What wisdome understanding or counsell against him that disappointeth the devices of the crafty Ch. 5.12 13 14. so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise who taketh the wise in their own craftinesse and the counsell of the froward is carried headlong They meet with darknesse in the day time and grope in the noone-day as in the night Job 9.4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered What confidence in any thing before him who hath cursed all confidence but that which is reposed in him Ch. 8.13 14. So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a spiders web and their hope as the giving up of the ghost Ch. 11.20 or a puffe of breath He that duely considereth the state of things in this land immediately preceding the severall devastations by forain invasion and shall compare the same with our present times may finde that correspondency between them which will justly make him fear lest the time of our desolation be at hand also but I forbear and God forbid I have but one word more to speak unto thee and it is by way of request that if thou be learned thou wilt not be offended with the rudenesse of the stile and vulgar plainness of the expression which thou findest in this book remembring that the major part whom it doth concern are either the ignorant and more simple sort of people or not so knowing as those who have diligent education and training up in the schooles of Philosophy or of more polite literature And whosoever thou be that dost peruse this little treatise if by reflexion thou chance to see those spots and blemishes in thy selfe of which thou tookest no knowledge before or in case thou didst perceive them passe them by unregarded never seeking to wipe them off from thee doe not with brutish fury or childdish indignation break the glass in pieces for being true unto thee but rather imitate in this particular him who doth present and hold the same before thee that is reform what is uncomely purifie what is unclean rectifie what is a misse by the Image or shape which it doth represent unto thy view Who so loveth instruction Prov. 12. â— loveth knowledge but he that hateth reproof is brutish It is an hard matter as the case now generally standeth with us either to speak or to hear Truth as wee ought so great and common is mens prejudice against it And what Salvian complained of in his time may justly give occasion of complaint to us concerning the present times wherein we live Tam imbecilla sunt judicia hujus temporis ac penè tam nulla ut qui legunt non tam considerant quid legant quam cujus legant nec tam dictionis vim atque virtutem quam dictatoris cogitent dignitatem Praefat. ad Salom. Finally if thou receive any benefit by what thou readest herein give glory to God and pray for the Author as he prayeth for thee and for those who have reviled and despitefully used him without a cause Now the Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Grace be with you Amen Deo Gloria A Catalogue of some Books lately extant and Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane London A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by Henry Hammond D. D. in fol. The Practical Catechisme with all other English Treatises of Henry Hammond D. D. in two volumes in 40. Dissertationes quator quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. Scripturis Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur contrasententiam D. Blondelli aliorum Authore Henrico Hammond in 40. A Letter of Resolution of six Quaere's in 120. The names of severall Treatises and Sermons written by Jeremy Taylor D. D. viz. 1. The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life according to the Christian Institution described in the History of the Life and Death of the ever blessed Jesus Christ â—â—