and ambition did alienate our first Parents from God so pride and ambition makes a division between the Church and her children for you shall often see the children of the Church to be so ambitious that they will esteem themselves above their mother and indeed there is no schismatick much more an heretick but is ambitious and so the Shoolmen speak when they say that a Schismatick is one who retaining the fundamental points of Religion rends impudently the Church by reason of some Rights and Ceremonies which his ambition approves not of but me thinks that the next daughter of hell is envy which seems sad by reason of the union which she fears in this Kingdom for envy loves nothing but division because that vice and immoderate affection of our soul will never permit us to like what is done by those that we do not like or to consent unto these things which we had no hand to in their Institution for in the injunction of such things we are perswaded by that fatal passion that our advantage is hindred or diminished but behold there is another which is covered with a very black garment where you can discern nothing and that is ignorance which cannot inform us of the nature of those things which are imposed upon us by our Superiours for Ignorance makes us esteem the circumstances and garments of Religion to be of as high a nature as the body and substance thereof and by that means we cannot agree nor receive the circumstantial things which our Superiours impose upon us for the good order of the Christian Church but further give me leave to let another monstrous daughter of hell appear with the others that we may eschew the fatal effects thereof in the knowledge of her nature and that is obstinacy which is not content to cause division but will countenance it for obstinacy as every one knows will always have us to defend that which we once have maintained and blame that which we once have declaimed against although we know not any reason for it and so the obstinate men will remain in their errours and entertain division Now if you consider the causes of our divisions without partiality you will confess with me that Pride Envy Ignorance and Obstinacy were those monsters which would not permit as now will not yet suffer the fomenters of division to adhere to those things which their Superiours imposed upon them for otherwise I do verily beleeve that they had not embroyled this Nation with such a cruel war neither had they upon their pretended occasions so violently persecuted the Church for these things which many who agree in the substance of Religion with their mother the Church contended about are harmless and cannot offend moderate and prudent men for not any of the authours of the division of this Kingdom I hope will blame the moderation of the first Reformers of the Church of England who seriously examined the Church of Rome in its Doctrine Discipline and Worship to reject the Errours and Heresies of the Doctrine the Tyranny and oppression of the Discipline and the Superstitions of the Worship and retain that which the Church of Rome had from the Christian Primitive Church nay more then that they took a way the abuse of things indifferent in their nature and reduced them to a lawfull use But for all that some contentious like those that were in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaks when he saith I hear that there be divisions among you would not be satisfied they blamed many things that could be easily passed by as now many of their imitatours do for the white colour of the garments of the Church of England offend their sight they say that these garments are superstitiously used in the Church of Rome as if in the Church of Rome the Clergy regular secular did not use garments of several other colours as well as white nay more then that those that know the Church of Rome as I have reason to know it having lived among them in their communion 23 or 24 years are not ignorant that she makes use of all sorts of colours so that if we would not use any of those she makes use of we should go all naked so we should prove very fit to be among the Adamites but as S. Jerome saith very well against Pelagius what enmity is it against God if the Bishop Priest and Deacon do go in white vestments when they are to officiate Moreover they will not admit the singing of the Creed nor many pious Songs when other Protestants beyond the Sea whom the contentious approve of sing the Lords Prayer in their temple as the Dutch Churches and those of Hesson or the ten Commandments with that which we call the Song of Simeon as our French Reformed Churches and others do and if they tell me that the Church of England cannot produce any passage of Scripture for the singing of the Creed c. I answer that it is not necessary for circumstantial things and that our Protestants beyond the sea whom the causers of division in this Kingdom do approve of cannot bring any passage of Scripture to prove the singing of the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments But their contentious humour goes yet further for they will not have the people answer in the celebration of the Divine Service and they are offended at the repetitions which the Church of England makes use of but For the first I say that it is good according to the custome of the Church of England to joyn our selves with the Pastours in the Church as you did this day in the celebration of the Divine Service for it is nothing else but a sacred conceâ—t in imitation of that which the sacred Angels make use of in heaven in their praising of the Lord as you may see in Isa 6. and the Church of England is not the onely Church amongst the Reformed which makes use of answers in the celebration of the Divine Service for the Reformed Churches of Hungaria Transilvania and Lithuania as I am credibly informed make use of some answers in their Divine Service but I need not to pleade in that manner for if in that the Church of England should be alone among the Protestant Churches I would hold it lawfull because it is not against Scripture but rather conformable to it when the blessed spirits and sacred Angels cry or answer one to another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts Concerning the repetitions of the Church let me tell you that they are as so many productions of a sacred and vehement affection like unto that of David Lord have mercy upon me Lord have mercy upon me and that of the Angels Holy Holy Holy indeed if the Church of England should make use of her repetitions by number as the Church of Rome doth so that by the repeating of so many times such a prayer she should think to merit something before God as the relaxation
heresie denied the resurrection of the bodies as you may observe in the 15. Chapter some would defile the Christian doctrine with Judaicall Superstitions which some false Doctours would introduce in the Church as necessary to salvation moreover they would infect the doctrine of the Gospel with the prophanations of the Gentiles as it appears by the 8. and 10. Chapter Concerning the Discipline and government of the Church some there were among the Corinthians who would not have any desiring to live according to their own minds that they might give themselves to all licentiousness without any reprehension or correction which prevailed so far that the Church of Corinth did bear with the whoremongers drunkards and contentious which gave our Apostle occasion to write the 5. and 6. Chapters of our Epistle to extinguish that monster of licentiousness As for the Ceremonies there was division in the Church for among the Corinthians some would not submit themselves unto the performance of them as you may see in our Chapter where you must observe that the divisions of the Corinthians were not about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ nor about heresie which everteth the doctrine but about the manner of preaching and praying and about the manner of receiving the holy Sacrament Concerning the first the contention was about the covering of the head as if we should now dispute about a hat and a coife for men and women had engaged themselves in that division According to the custome of the Corinthians as well as to that of the Church of England the men were to be uncovered as well during the Sermon as during the prayers and women as now they are were to be covered as you may see by the 4. and 5. verses of our Chapter where we may very well take praying and prophesying actively and passively actively for those that pray and preach and passively for those that joyn their vows and prayers with him that prayeth as those that are present at the hearing of him that preacheth so that not onely he that did preach according to the custome of the Church of Corinth was to be uncovered but those also that were present at the hearing of the Sermon but some lovers of divisions would not submit to that custome Some men covered themselves in the holy Assemblies and some women were uncovered which S. Paul hearing of endeavoureth to instruct them about these things shewing them the lawfulness of that custome which the Church had thought fit to be observed by both Sexes in their publick and holy meetings from the 6. ver to the 16. ver For the manner of receiving the holy Sacrament be it standing or kneeling the Apostle leaves it to the custome and ordering of the Church that such things might be established not by the common people but by the Ecclesiastical Superiours for these injunctions belong onely to them as being sub potestate ordinis under the power of order which is insinuated in the 1 Corinth 14. at the last verse Let all things be done that is by the Ecclesiastical Superiours decently and in order but if these injunctions regard the Ecclesiastical Superiours know ye also that the Ecclesiastical corrections for the prophanation of the Lords Supper belong to their persons as it appeareth by our Text I hear that there be divisions among you which hath relation to the following verses where the Apostle condemns the profanation of the Corinthians against the holy Sacrament And indeed it was very sit for the Apostle to condemn their profanation which was committed in their banquets of charity which were kept in the Church before the participation of the Sacrament for it came to pass soon after the institution of these banquets that the rich men that were at the expences of them would not tarry for the poor and so the rich were drunk and the poor hungry as the Apostle speaks in the 21 ver of our Chapter the rich man came to the Sacrament without reverence being in that sinfull and shamefull condition and the poor discontented for as I have said these banquets were kept in the Church before the reception of the holy Sacrament although soon after the Apostles time that custome was changed and these banquets kept after its celebration as it appears by Tertul. Apolog. for the Christians and Chrysostome in moral homil 27. their prophanation then caused divisions in the Church and disorder among the Christian Corinthians which obligeth the Apostle Paul to write and say I hear that there be divisions among you But brethren if all these things which I have mentioned were among the Corinthians give me leave to tell you without offence that the same things are to be found among us who have desiled the glorious Church of England as the Corinthians did the eminent Church of Corinth it was that Ecclesiastical monster of division that spoiled it when it did appear against doctrine discipline and Ceremonies and it is that monster that is yet ready to ruine that glorious Church which as a Phoenix is newly born of her ashes consider I beseech you the divisions which are yet entertained amongst us and you shall see that they regard the Doctrine Discipline and Ceremonies for heresie reigneth yet in England Socinians Anabaptists Quakers and Millenaries with others appear in great number and with a damnable considence endeavour to corrupt and desile the Evangelical doctrine that they may insinuate and scatter their errours and heresies among the poor Christian people licentiousness appeareth too much in this Kingdom we are willing to give our selves to all the corruptions of the world but we are not willing to be reproved for our sins we slatter our selves in our iniquities and wickedly make use of the Christian liberty to maintain our rebellion as for Schism it is too well known in this Countrey and I wish as my duty with my affection to this Nation obligeth me that that monster might be hated of all and that those that have been contentious might quietly return into the Church let them consider that those things which they trouble the Church for touch not the substance and body of Religion but onely the circumstances of it and they shall learn of our Apostle to hate divisions for saith he speaking about these things to the Corinthians if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God and to correct their irregularities about the holy Sacrament I hear that there be divisions among you which shews the contentious that schism about Ceremonies leads to prophanation about other things and to heresie if it be not stayed but behold there are some monsters that appear unto me black and obscure coming from the dark prison of the prince of the air the God of this world and that is pride with many other daughters of hell which you shall see in the second part of my Text. The second Part. As pride made division between God and the Angels that are now devils
world from thence came the Scythians Tartarians and other Barbarians from thence came the Hunnians Vandals and Goths and therefore it is not without reason that those people are said to be as the sand of the sea in the latter end of the 8. ver of our chapt for they have supplied the world with almost an infinite number of people which caused some Learned men to say that the North was the shop of all Nations from thence come also Turks who by violence took away the Saracenical Empire as for Gog you know that it is the proper name of one of Joels sons of the posterity of Reuben 1 Chron. 5.4 who inhabited Eastward and filled the Little Asia with his posterity which was called Gog. But these Nations which came from Gog and Magog having degenerated from their ancestours became cruel enemies unto the people of God as you see by Ezech. 38. and from thence the Scripture speaks of Gog and Magog to represent the open and secret enemies of the Christian Church as you see by the 8. ver of our Chapter with a part of the 9. ver which shews us that those Nations Gog and Magog compassed about the Camp of the Saints to sight them then we cannot but understand the Turks by Magog and the Pontificial Tyranny with the cruelty of the Sectaries by Gog as for Magog from Miggag revealed and discovered it becomes well the Turks for they are manifest enemies of Jesus Christ and open persecutours of his poor members they publickly esteem Mahomet that grand Impostour the son of the Prince of darkness before our Lord and Saviour who is the Son of God and prefer their Alcoran full of Gentilism Judaism and Arianism compiled by men of impiety before the sacred Scripture inspired by the holy Ghost the essential piety as for Gog let me tell you that it becomes well the tyranny of the Church of Rome with the cruelty of the Sectaries for Gog from Gag is the same as covered and hidden which is very fit for them for they cover and hide their tyranny and cruelty under the cloak of Religion professing one Jesus Christ and him crucified when they crucifie and hand the true members of our Saviour in all their wicked designes they pretend the good of the Church when they rend and defile it and so by a damnable hypocrisie cover all their profanations and wickednesses as you have in this Realm beheld with your eyes where the Jesuites with the Sectaries erected a black Tribunal for a most pious and Christian King and his faithfull Subjects under a pretext of a good Conscience And indeed as Gog did degenerate from his Predecessour Jacob and his father Joel who with humility and reverence adored the Almighty God of Israel and followed his orders so did the Church of Rome with the Sectaries degenerate from their Ancestours who acknowledged with all humility and obedience the Church of God and its orders or if you will as Gog did imitate Reuben who defiled his fathers bed so the Church of Rome with the Sectaries imitate Satan who defileth the Church of God with Schismes and heresies which makes you clearly see that the devil is loosed out of his prison and that the thousand years are expired and finished they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years not that I will say that the Saints do not now reign with Christ for I know that they do reign with him when they are his regenerated Subjects but that now they reign not with Christ with such progress as they did before the expiration of the thousand years of Satans binding for we seldom now see a true conversion or a sincere repentance of our sins but rather often obstination appears in our errours we will not change them because we defended our sins openly and so by our ambition we destroy the Church of our blessed Saviour there is no fear of God amongst us nor sincere love one to another nor charity towards our poor afflicted brethren as there was in the time of Satans binding we are as hard as Pharaoh as cruel as Cain and as profane as Esau it seems that all the Christian vertues are vanished amongst men and that all vices have took their places to give way unto the prince of darkness who is now loosed out of his prison for they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Perhaps you will tell me if the thousand years are now sinished or as you said expired at the formal manifestation of the Antichristian Jurisdiction how can it be said that Satan is loosed out for a little while or season as it is spoken in the 3. ver To that I answer and say that this may very well be said in regard of Satans eternal binding which followeth after his loosing out of his prison for a while indeed if you consider the thousand years binding of Satan I confess that his loosing out will seem a great while but if you look upon Satans eternal binding his loosing out is but a little season which makes me wonder at the Millenaries opinion who expect now a visible and earthly reign for in the expectation of such a reign they loose the spiritual kingdom of our Saviour and in their pretended happiness they may finde a true unhappiness But I will stay no longer upon that imaginary kingdom for the kingdom that I proposed unto you is a true and spiritual kingdom the kingdom of our Saviour which is of grace without which it is impossible to obtain the kingdom of glory for you know that we must first reign here in grace before we can reign hereafter in glory then let me tell you that the Saints who now reign with Christ in glory lived and reigned before with him in grace by many years for as you read in my Text and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Conclusion and Application But let us conclude with application to learn from our Text that the Saints who are actual members of our Saviour live with him in this world the life of grace the onely life of Gods children who are not born of the flesh but of the Spirit Joh. 3.6 not of corruptible but incorruptible seed the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1. Pet. 1.23 not of the prince of darkness but of the Father of lights for as we read and they lived and reigned with Christ indeed there is none but those that are light in the Lord that possess it for this spiritual life changes our darkness into light and our vices into shining vertues and makes us like unto the Sun of righteousness by the gracious brightness which the life of grace procures unto us which is a life that the Scripture cals the life of Christ because the life of grace looks on Christ as on its sacred object and its meritorious cause and by excellency the life of God not as if God were not the authour of the natural life of the