them so long in the Wilderness but their Wilderness-sins so they are our Wilderness sins that presage ill to us those I mean that are upon us since God came down to plead with us face to face and to bring us upon the way and they are our want of sound Humiliation and brokeness of heart for though we be broken yet we are not humbled we are broken in our families in our estates The Kingdom is broken with our sins and with the sword but our hearts are not broken for our sin We are as weary of our fasts as of our wars our solemn dayes are wantonized with curled bare and spotted pride to this day our sackcloth is grown into a fashion and form and by many laid aside the sword drawes forth our blood because sin drawes not forth our teares surely God hath an answer ready to that question Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledg I say 5. 8. 3. O that the Land would own its own sins for though we can all cry It is sin yet when we should come to particulars Then it is with us as with Josephs brethren Thou didst it and Thou didst it The serpent said she the people saith Saul the people saith Aaron We all acknowledg that there is sin amongst us some where in the general no where in particular the people lay the blame on thâ— Magistrate the Magistrate on the people and so our sins are never found at home let us survey our selves and deale impartially Are not self ends-served upon the publike calamities by such as come to the common scarre fire not to quench it but to fish for what they can get Is there not a great neglect of personal reformation even by such as cry for reformation Ecclesiastical Is the power of godliness sought by them who call for purity of Ordinances is not charity cold I might call it Justice toward those that have drained their own wells dry and cannot now get water to quench their thirst are there not delayes and obstructions of Justice are there not miscarriages in inferiour officers and instruments that are too sharp bitten and prey for themselves under colour of service to the State And may not the Lord renew that old saying For three transgressions and for foâ—r I will not turn away the punishment of your Land Amos 1. ver 3. 6. c. 2 The unpreparedness that is in us to close with God his way and truth many think it religion enough to cry King and Parliament with them the power of godliness lies under as great scorn and disrelish as ever and though we have ingaged our selves by Covenant yet is that Covenant made by many but as it were a fast and loose knot or a meer Shibboleth of distinction between party and party how many are willing to compound for such a Reformation as may serve self-interests or politique respects making their own ends the standard of Reformation not the word or glory of God What fear is there in many of the strictness of it What jealousie least it should clip the wings of civil authority and power being startled at the name of jus divinum as Herod was when he heard of one that should be born King of the Iewes a vain fear For he that saith by me Kings reign doth not by his Gospel pull them down date Deo and date Caesari are no waies inconsistent The Symptoms that are upon us are very ill abodements as namely the divisions and sidings in matter of Religion which is first turned into a kind of Philosophy of opinions and then divided into parties and sects as the old Philosophers were After the great and general deluge of corruption of Doctrine and superstition in worship we are fallen into the confusion of Languages And then again what emulations in Officers that have great command as if they had an Alexander or a Caesar or a Pompey in their brests making too much ado about punctilios of honour what dissentions in the country between Committees and Commanders the one accusing the other for plowing away a furrow of his land and the other recriminating the like and whiles they come up hither to contest the difference the Plow stands what should I speak of driving of designs and of the carriage of many in this cause meerly by interests and not by principles which kind of men can never be firm for interests will make any man loose and uncertain He hath the byas in his Pocket which he can put off and put on as the mark lies nothing makes men firm but principles for such a mans byas is within the bowl especially if his principles carry him to God as well as you for otherwise he will not be always yours Now if all these things be laid together they make good reason why we should cast up both events The ways and dispensations of God towards us are so dark as by them we are not able to discern cleerly of his particular mind or thoughts as touching the issue or event when we are as we think at shore and ready to land there comes a gust and waves us back into the deep again The Ark is carrying to Jerusalem and there falls out a breach upon Vzzah and stops the work The war hangs long upon us and who knows where or when the Tragoedy shall end How long have the German Churches where the first day-break of reformation began been under a thick cloud and many a time when they have seemed to see land they have been driven back again with cross winds Thus do the ways of God like Arethuse run under ground He hides his paths and his ends and he is in the thick darkness so that we see his goings but are as much to seek for the meaning of his dispensations as the boy was that ran to fetch Jonathans Arrows whereby he made discovery to David This we know that God hath not pinned his Ordinances to the freehold of a Land Nation City therefore he saith Jer. 7 12 goe and see what I did to Shiloh where I set my name at the first and what was that which he did to it Psal 78. 60 61. He forsook the Tabernacles of Shiloh the Tent that he had pitched among them and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hand whence it may be affirmed that though God do not altogether remove his name from the Isralites yet he may change the place thereof from Shiloh to Jerusalem and so though he do plant his Ordinances somewhere in his Church yet the Candlestick may be removed and the Kindome of Heaven taken away from this or that particular place or Nation Vse The Use that I shall make of this Point is to call you to this casting up of events that may fall out to the end you may be able to justifie God if he turn his hand against you and that you may for your own
gather up again that which he cast over-board in the storm and he will perform duties and hate them He that follows God as a mercenary will no longer uti Deo then he can frui mundo He will use him while he can serve himself of him Duties and sufferings are irksome things without that suave condimentum the love of God himselfe I know the opinion of merit with God or men sweetens sharpe duties and sufferings to some palats but that is but dulce venenum a sweet poyson to all we do it frustrates our very Fasts Did yee Zach. 7. 3. at all Fast unto me even unto me Was it not an argument of an excellent spirit in Moses when God offered him the benefit without himself or his presence Exod. 33. 2. I will send an Angell before thee and I will drive out the Canaanites c. but I will not go up in the midst of thee and this was the reason I shall but consume thee if I do what a faire offer was this and what a reason of Gods deniall of his own presence was that and yet Moses could not be content with it For if thy presence goe Exod. 33. 15. not with me then carry us not up hence Let us be here in the Wildernesse under thy Cloud rather then possesse a Canaan without thee 3 The third is To value Gods interests in any busines under our hand more then our owne his Gospell his cause his glory and this rises out of the former for he that loves God himselfe above himselfe will value Gods interest above his own It is the property of a sincere heart to observe what share God may have in any action or duty to which hee is called and to distinguish and abstract it from his own Wee have a famous instance in Moses who was offered a private fortune even by God himself I 'le make of thee a great Nation Numb 14. 12. greater and mightier then they no saith he Lord thou wilt be a loser by it and thou shalt run the hazard of thy houour and surely as God was displeased with Balaam for going though he bad him go so the Lord would not have taken it so kindly of Moses if hee had taken him upon the offer hee made in a time of his heat against his people nothing makes a man eccentrick in his motions so much as private respects hee that hath an habituate by-end hath as it were a nayle in his foot and though he may go well enough in soft ground yet hee wilt halt when he comes in hard way If ever in any great busines God did intwist his own interest with ours it is now in our case and if there be any that could be content to sit downe in the settlement of their liberty and property without further care of Religion and to dwell in seiled houses while the house of God lyes waste let mee put Hag. 1. 4. them in mind of Reuben and Gad who being seated in their plot would yet march on to see the rest of the Tribes setled as well as themselves before they would sit down and sayth Moses if you will not do so ye have Numb 32. 18 c. sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out 4 The fourth is To be able to perish for God and this rises out of the former for he onely can lay himself out for God that can lay up himself in him And it is a point of great ability I know how to be abased how to hunger I can do all things Phil 4. 12. Let no man say Paul thou must hunger and be abased it is a matter of necessity nay but yee see he makes it a point of ability in him that he can be in a necessitous condition a man shall never be quiet nor at point till hee can lose himself to save himself as Christ speaks and perish to live for he shall be daunted at every alarum of ill tydings fearfull of the shadow of the Crosse every danger in a duty awes him every frown of a great man dastards him untill he can perish in his reputation and be vile more vile yet more vile for God or can come to that They would not Heb. 11. 35. be delivered It was the greatest heart-breaking to Paul when his friends in affection to him would have befought him out of his own danger Acts 21. 13 14. And this ground-work being well laid you may easily see how possible and probable it is that such a man should follow the Lord fully especially in the matters of God and of Religion wherein many excellent Romanes to their Country and true Patriots prove very truants and heavy slugs I come to the second thing viz. what it is to fulfill after the Lord or who may be said to do And this I shall briefly run through 1 More generally 2 More particularly 1 For the more generall explication of this point To fulfill after the Lord. 1 Excludes partiality in the Law of God and takes in integrity Patiality is either in the negative part of the Law and that is when a man casts off some sins hath some other one at least in deliciis or in the affirmative part when he plows here makes a bawke there this cannot be following fully for that consists in integrity of aversion from sin and of conversion to God quoad assensum conatum 2 It excludes sinisterity of ends and takes in sincerity for the Scripture brands it for an emptinesse of fruit when a man brings forth fruit to himself Hos 10. 1. Israel is an empty Vine he brings forth fruit to himself 3 It excludes lukewarmnesse and takes in zeal not that preternaturall heat miscalled zeal for that is a disease rather then a grace zeal should eat us up but not eat up our wisdome nor should pride eat up our zeal 4 It excludes the meere forme of godlinesse and takes in power for form wants the chief dimension of holinesse which is depth and substance therefore those follow not fully that run before the commandement in outward form but walk not after it in morall piety 5 It excludes withdrawing and takes in constancy for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to follow fully and go on to the end are much at one hee that walks fully after the Lord walks finally after him But this fulfilling after the Lord doth not necessarily require legall perfection as to exclude all sin out of the person or his ways for wee heare of none besides the two Adams in whom it might be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no sin though it was said of one and may be of other true Israelites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no guile or predominant hypocrisie Neither doth this fulfilling after the Lord exclude inequality and take in the same measure as necessary in all for the fulness of two vessels doth not infer the equality of them God hath
hath given to his Church for this ver relates to the 11. He gave some Apostles and some c. that henceforth c. and to them doth the Apostle commit the charge of the flock to watch over them against wolves Acts 20. 28 29. 2. The holding fast and pursuance of the substance and great things of Religion ver 15. but being sincere in love grow up in all things into him which is the head It s an excellent growth to grow up into the head that is into communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ which triviall opinions nothing at all advance observe the antithesis or opposition he makes between being carried about c. and following the truth in love for contraria contrariis diseases are cured by contraries so the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. gives the same receipt against unstedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to take off teachers from fables and genealogies and questions of no value Paul commends to them the aiming at godly edifying which is by faith and to hold to that which is the end of the commandement charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 4 5. If both Ministers and people would but drive this trade it would take off that wandring and hunting after novell opinions and doctrines and would keep us constant in the wholesome pastures even now that the hedge of setled government is wanting If you have good feeding why should not that keep you from wandering untill the pale be set up wait upon God in the use of his saving ordinances and pray for us If Moses stay long in the mount must the people be setting up golden calves and say we know not what is become of this Moses Aarons rod Exod. 7. 12. shal swallow up all the rods of Iannes and Iambres in due time The Apostle puts us in hope of a vil ultra to such 2 Tim. 3. 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all FINIS Magnalia DEI ab Aquilone Set forth in a SERMON PREACHED BEFORE The Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS at Saint MARGARETS Westminster upon Thursday July 18 1644. Being the day of publike Thanksgiving for the great VICTORY obtained against Prince RUPERT and the Earl of Newcastles Forces neer YORK By RICHARD VINES Minister of Gods Word at Weddington in the County of Warwick and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Order of both Houses LONDON Printed by R. L. for Abel Roper at the signe of the Sun against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1646. Die Veneris 19. Julii 1644. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament assembled That Mr. Vines hath hereby thanks given him by this House for the great pains hee hath took in his Sermon Preached before the Lords and Commons on Thursday the eighteenth of this instant Iuly in Margarets Church Westminster it being the day of Thanksgiving for the great mercy of God in the happy successe of the Forces of both Kingdoms against the Enemies of King and Parliament neer York And that the said Mr. Vines be intreated to Print and publish his said Sermon which no man is to presume to Print or reprint without his authority under his hand as he will answer the contrary to this House John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum Die Veneris 19. Julii 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Sir Robert Harley do give the thanks of this House to Mr. Vines for the great pains hee took in the Sermon hee Preached at the intreaty of both Houses at St. Margarets Westminster upon the day of publike Thanksgiving for the great Victory obtained against Prince Rupert and the Earle of Newcastles Forces and he is desired to publisht it in Print H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. Dom. Com. I appoint Abel Roper to Print my Sermon Richard Vines To the Right HONOURABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in Parliament Right Honourable and Noble Senatours BY this time it is cleere day even their eyes whose unwillingnesse to beleeve it made them blinde are now waken to see that God did indeed put matter of thanksgiving both into our hands and mouthes To disguise so solemne a duty onely to support reputation in the eyes of the world is no lesse then to put an Irony upon GOD. Thanksgiving is the reply we make to GODS answer of our prayer of whom if we walke worthy he will surely make rejoynder of new mercies Though we cannot expect but that we may shift our garments and somtimes weare sackcloth The Lord set our hearts in tune whether to Lachrymae or Hallelujah Beware of that rock which the Israelites fel foul upon in their wildernesse condition where being at Gods more immediate finding and having all their entertainment from Heaven they most of all did then imbitter GOD by their murmurings against and temptations of him The good Lord command the West to blow as sweet a gale as the North hath done and so finish his own worke that unto Henricus Rosas Regna Jacobus may be added Ecclesias Carolus So prayeth Your unworthy servant for Christ Richard Vines A SERMON PREACHED Before the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in Parliament upon the 18th day of July 1644. It being the day of Thanksgiving for the great mercy of God in the happy successe of the Forces of both Kingdoms against the Enemies of King and Parliament neer York ISAIAH 63. 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie So he was their Saviour WHat the Historian sayth of that day wherein Non suit maior sub imperio Romano dies c. Florus lib. 2. cap. 6. de bello Punico secundo Scipio and Hannibal disputed that long depending cause between Rome and Carthage in open field The Romane Empire untill that time had not seen a greater day The same may I justly say of the occasion of this our meeting Nor we nor our fathers in this Kingdom considering the numbers on both sides the Interests that lay at stake the fulnesse of the victory the hopefull consequence of it have had more cause to sing They compassed me about like Bees they are quenched as the fire of thorns for in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me The Lord is my strength and song and is become my salvation The voice of rejoycing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly The right hand of the Lord is exalted the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly Psal 118. 12 13 14 15 16 c. for though God have cleerly attested his presence with us by many visible tokens thereof ever since we came into this wildernesse so that we may truly say Take counsell together and it shall
14. An Israelite that is without guile that hath but one heart is a rare man and worthy of an Ecce Behold indeed an Israelite In the opening of this point I shall follow the threed of that explication of this word double minded which I gave in the beginning 1 This double mindednes is an uncertainty of the heart with God not fixed upon a Centre but off and on as times occasions and interests doe lead on or draw off so farre you will goe with God as your way and his doe fall out to hold together and untill you must pull downe Jeroboams Calves as well as Ahabs Baal and then you part with him when it comes to such a pinch so also in adversity or affliction wee make nautarum vota Mariners vowes as they doe in a storme and when wee are on shore and landed out of danger wee eat the Covenant wee made before Psal 78. 24. c. When he slue them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did but flatter and lye unto him for their heart was not right with him nor were they stedfast in his Covenant If the heart was right with God it would be certaine and stedfast with him Constancie is but the daughter of Synceritie It s a hatefull thing to set sail to every winde and to change colour so often being no faster tyed to God in the tempest then we can be loosened in the calme Be what you were in the storme in your affliction you will abide to be spurred without kicking and are very tame under reproofs but when you are lifted up and are at short then to put you in minde of your Vowes and Covenants in the day of your trouble is as an unpleasing a thing as to put a Mariner at shore in minde of his Vowes or promises made at Sea It s no great danger to reprove men sharply when they are low any coward may strike a man that is down but believe it when men are aloft and high and may more safelyer he dealt withall by stroaking then by the spurre then it is somwhat to come nigh the heels of truth for it may haply strike out his teeth 2. This double mindednesse is a division of the heart from God 1. It is divided between the promises of God and the difficulties opposite when a man laies his dead body and the dead womb of Sara in the skales against the promise of having Isaac this is sense fighting against faith 2. Between conscience and lust conscience dictates lust byasses the inferiour appetite mutinies against the superiour light and leades it captive video melior a probâ—que deteriora sequor 3. Between Religion and policie and then Religion commonly goes by the worse Jeroboam and the King of Israel to comply with their politick respects set up and continued a selfe-devised worship 4. Between God and the world or God and our own ends as they here in the Text when we make God a meere servant to our selves and move upon a private centre of our own the heart is cunning subtile in squinting towards its own ends visibly we will be for God under hand we seeke ourselves so the planets in their daily motion from East to West move as the fixed stars but they have another motion of their own which is creepingly by stealth and more unperceiveable then the other Use For the use of this point let me turn the words of the Text once more upon you by way of exhortation Purifie your hearts ye double minded cast out those dividing lusts policies ends which draw you away from God and pluck off those false byasses of self-interest and self-seeking which cause you to wheele off from the true mark or scope of all your desires and endeavours you will be found faulty if your hearts be divided Hos 10. 2. simplicity of heart is of great account with God there is asinina simplicitas columbina the simplicity of the asse and of the dove the former is a defect in the understanding the later is the grace of an honest heart and this sure is that which is of esteeme with God In matters of judgement and justice between man and man you are to have two eyes to looke both wayes but as they that take aime shut one of their eyes lest the sight should be distracted so in your aims and ends your eye is to be single in intending God and not self let Christ increase though you decrease The greatest matter above-board and which all mens expectations and mouthes are full of is the setling of Religion and of the Church Religion is rerum-publicarum quoddam quasi coagulum Cunaeus lib. 1. cap. 15. that which caements Common-wealths together though now it be made the ball of contention and the great divider of us into parties we divide it and are divided being far more then double minded there about Oh that God was first set into possession of his right and that his Tabernacle was pitcht before any of the lots for our own liberties or interests were drawn This was the oath that David swore in his afflictions Psal 132. 2 3. He sware unto the LOrd and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. Surely I will not come unto the Tabernacle of mine house nor go up into my bed I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eye-lids untill I finde out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob and this is the first Article in our Vow and Covenant What the reall impediments are doth not fall within my way but the self-interests are to be searched out Not yet say some and their reason is the same with that of the common sort of people against Inclosures in former times If every mans own should be inclosed they should lose their freedom of Common and that liberty they usurped all the field over or as others hope that after wee have turned round a while wee may haply returne to the same posture wee were in before and having lost our way in the myst may come backe againe to the same place whence wee set out at first If any say others let it be a George on horsback that stands at doore with a wooden dagger but keeps no body from going in the thiefe passes under his nose into the house as well as the true-man Not this say some of those that are toward the law for then haply many contentions might be quencht at the bottome of the chimney before they flame out at the top and such may be the want of grist as it may tend much to the hinderance of their Mill. Nothing that 's one say the Libertines for we have gon loose so long that now we cannot go strait laced It s irksome to wild birds to be coopt up in a cage under Discipline Those that have beene such
in tit 3. 8. formerlly by his owne conscience and light yet remaining or d Ideo sibi dam natus quia in quo damnatur sibi eligit Tertull de proe virtually by his voluntary rejection of Gods truth to stick to his owne errour and so in conclusion except the Lord pull him out of the fire by some happy hand in the meane time hee brings upon himselfe swift destruction As touching pertinacy or obstinacy which is generally by Divines put into the definition of haeresie according to that saying errare possum haereticus esse nolo I shall say but this that obstinacy may bee considered either in respect of the crime of haeresie or of the censure and rejection of an Haereticke In respect of the crime of haeresie two ways First that an errour in it selfe not haeresie is made haeresie by obstinacy as some of the Papists will have that to be haeresie which is stifly holden by any man after the e Rhemists Annot. in Tit. 3. 10. determination or admonition of the Church when a Councell or that transcendent thing called the Pope hath defined by the authority of his infallible Chaire that such an errour is haeresie and hath put it under Anathema though f Error in fide non ideo haeresis quia ab ecclesia damnatus sed quia fidei contrarius Altenstaig c. verbo haeresis Tâ—rre crem summa lib. 4. 2 part cap. 3. others of them in my opinion say more rightly that an errour in faith is not therefore haeresie because condemned by the Church but because contrary to the faith or secondly that an errour subverting the faith is not haeresie unlesse attended with obstinacy and that as I conceive cannot be said for as Constancy in that which is good as namely faith or justice doth not make faith to be faith or justice to be justice so neither doth obstinacy in evill or errour make that errour to be haeresie but as vertue is commendable and rendred more glorious by constancy so is haeresie aggravated and made more high by obstinacy The essence or nature and so the denomination of haeresie is not to be measured by obstinacy against the decision or admonition of the Church for then every such obstinate errour should be haeresie but by the contrariety and opposition of it to the principles of faith which are razed or overthrowne In respect of the censure and rejection of an Haeretick which rejection whether it be by a private beleever or by sentence of the Church I now dispute not I suppose obstinacy is requisite for as in other scandalls the rule of proceeding is If hee heare not thee or if he heare not the Church so it s said a man that is an Haereticke reject after the first and second admonition Contumacy is a common adjunct of sinne in order to the finall judgement or sentence of the Church in excommunication In a word I cannot read those words Titus 3. 10. Thus or in this sense g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man that after the first and second admonition is an Haereticke as if he then became an Haereticke by standing out against or after admonition but thus reject a man haereticall after the first and second admonition which argues and demonstrates that he may be an Haeretick before he bee obstinate and so obstinacy is not essentiall to the nature or being of haeresie Though I confesse and doe suggest it to your observation and saddest thoughts that Haeretickes are generally and usually stricken with obstinacy few of them that runne into this labyrinth doe either seeke or finde the way out when the vitall parts of faith are putrified and corrupted in any Patient the recovery is hopelesse weigh seriously that expression or marke set on these very men by Iude ver 12. Trees twice dead plucked up by the rootes when do you see such a tree recover life and fruit It s a hard rescue to fetch a man off that is prisoner to an erring conscience especially if he be fetter'd by both legs his judgment being captivated by errour and his affections enslaved by lusts we must doe our duty and of some have compassion and others of them save with feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snatching them out of the fire Jude verse 22. 23. Though they complaine of violence offered to their liberty when they are pul'd out of the fire For as h Invitum qui servat idem facit â—ccidenti Horat. the saying is hee that saves a man against his will hath no more thankes for his labour then if he kill'd him It is a matter of wonder and amazement to see men of eminent parts and learning of great reputation for Religion captivated carried away and made prey of by senselesse and absurd fancies and opinions but that wee know there are no delusions or lies but are strong when God delivers a man up to them in way of punishment for not receiving the truth with love thereof The Lord give us to receive his truth with fear and trembling and make us thankfull whom in this time of wantonnesse as some call it or rather wickednesse of opinions hee hath kept from shipwracke of faith and made to stand upright when men that have lived strictly and religiously as i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Epistola 4. ad Olymp. Chrysostome said of Pelagius seem to warp and to be drawn awry Having thus farrre laid open the nature and danger of haeresie by the Scriptures I should now come to the use of all but that in few words I desire to put you in minde in what notion the word haeresie hath passed amongst men in common acceptation and that I shall doe in these two words 1. The Ecclesiasticall or Scholasticall acceptation is this a Tâ—rrecrem sum lib. 4. Haeresie is an errour or assertion contrary to the faith in points fundamentall or momentous holden or maintain'd by a man professing the Christian faith this they call simple haeresie and such a one an Haereticke licet ab ecclesia non recesserit though saith b In Gal. cap. 5. Ierome hee doth not separate or make secession from the Church and though hee cannot be blemisht with wickednesse morall or in conversation All momentous truths are not strictly so called fundamentall there are truths as I may say of second and third magnitude like stones in a building which be next unto or upon the foundation what these are which are precisely fundamentall and what is the boundary of them and by what certaine measure they must be measured if it exceed not my skill to determine as I dare not say but it may yet it is a worke beyond my time This only I say to the point in hand That the formalis ratio or nature of haeresie as it is distinguisht from schisme and fleshly lusts is rightly stated to consist in an errour or assertion contrary to and destructive of the faith and the degree of pravity in
quicken up your zeale for God and his truth search out and remove the obstructions that are in and amongst your selves whether private ends or State ends or whatsoever they be Let not Reformation and religion be cryed up for designe and to serve turnes settle it speedily Send forth the Confession that it may testifie to the world that you hold the forme of sound and wholsome words Let some governement and order be established religion is the ball of contention many mens hopes lye in our differences and their interests are served upon them We have profest enough for reformation and purity and have covenanted to endeavour it The world is weary of words they looke for fruit Let this day set an edge upon you No man take a breake-fast of this fast let not our ruine be under your hand There was a But in Naamans story he was such and such a man but a Leper You have done worthily Covenanted seriously But the matter of Reformation lyes most of it as yet in the Covenant and is but little crept out of that shell It may be the foolishness of many opinions on foot makes you slight them as a Calvin in opusc de Serveto Calvin said of Servetus his first onset securum me reddidit ipsa dogmatum fatuitas but be not secure b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates lib. 1. de Arrio a great fire may rise out of a small spark Let the soules of so many thousands of people be precious in your eyes and the Lord make your name like the name of those that have built the house of God I pray you let mee not bee understood to ship in one and the same bottom every error or mistake with damnable haeresies some differences in opinion are as the strivings as c L. Verulam Advancement of learning one elegantly saith of one Israelite with another and these Moses quiets and parts them fairely and some namely haeresies fighting against the very foundation are like the Egyptian striving with the Israelite whom Moses smites down There must be differences made between errour and haeresie erroneous and Hereticks seducers and seduced I would I might intreat nay presse it upon those that are called pure Independents that they would zealously and sincerely declare against the doctrinall errours and haeresies of these dayes that such pernicious opinions may not shelter themselves under their name or wing nor ever any indulgence or toleration be either desired or granted upon such a reason as all may come in at the same breach or port for that would bee but a selling of the Church into a liberty of being in captivity to destructive confusions and errours FINIS Pag. 11. lin 5. for doat r. doceat P. 30. l. 15. for sigmenta r. sigmenta p. 43. l. 30 for because r. being p. 45. l. 29. for formerly r. fermally Die Jovis 11º Martij 1646. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament that Mr. Rows and Mr. Gewen doe from this House give thankes unto Mr. Vines and Mr. Hodges for the great paines they tooke in their Sermons preached on the 10. Martij 1646. at Margarets Westminster before the House of Commons being a day of publique Humiliation for the growth of Errours Haeresies c. And they are to desire them to print their Sermons wherein they are to have the like priviledge in printing of them as others in the like kinde usually have had H. Elsinge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Abel Roper to Print my Sermon RICHARD VINES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OBEDIENCE TO MAGISTRATES Both Supreme and Subordinate In three SERMONS Preached upon the Anniversarie Election-day of three Lord Majors successively viz. Sr. THOMAS VINER Elected September 29. 1653. Sr. CHRISTOPHER PACK on the same day 1654. Alderman JOHN DETHICKE Esq now Lord Elect chosen the same day 1655. At the Church of Lawrence Jewrie London Together With a fourth Sermon tending towards a description of the corruption of the mind Preacht at Pauls on the 24th day of June 1655. By RICHARD VINES Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the earth Kiss the Sonne c. LONDON Printed for Abel Roper at the Sun against Dunstans Church in Fleetsteet 1656. To The right Honourable Sir CHRISTOPHER PACK Lord Major of the Citie of London and the Honourable Court of Aldermen there RIGHT HONOURABLE IN compliance with your Order and my own dutie I have imbarked into this service of committing these Seâ—mons to publick view which did both receive life at first and do now begin to walk abroad by your Command not doubting of the same Candour from your eye which was afforded by your ear there being little in them that might commend them to the world or You beside their seasonablenesse to the Occasion and time in which they were born Though the Government of this Citie be worthily renowned through the world yet it must be acknowledged unto the good will of Him that dwelt in the Bush that our eyes have seen and do see this our Ierusalem a quiet Habitation And though the Magistrate be called the Corner the Shield the Naile the Stay c. of the Common-wealth yet all things would doubtlesse soone swerve into Anarchie and discomposure if he that puts a Bridle into the mouth of the Sea should not still the querulous disposition of the People and make them subject There is one thing which makes the burthen of this great people somewhat more tolerable as I hope and that is Religion planted within your Jurisdiction which teacheth subjection for Conscience sake even to the most Morose much more to the Godly and benign Magistrate For sober Religion teacheth us to obey the Minister and Sword-bearer of God both for the Lords sake who giveth him his Commission and for our own who receive the benefit And indeed no man that is wise for himself would if he might either lop the Tree whose shaddow shelters him or goe about to weaken subjection and so pluck away the Ivie from the Tree that supports it especially when He that climbs the Tree doth it not to fill his own pocket but to shake down the fruit to them that are under it But my Lord I must not make too great a porch to a small building and therefore shall onely say this that a publick Spirit most becomes a Publicke Person and that the whole work of Magistracie is a self-deniall so as if he keep that in his eye that he is to rule propter Dominum his example will the better teach the subject to obey propter Domiminum for the Lord and the true Bounds and Bonds of this Relation between Magistrate and Subject shall be inviolably kept which shall be the prayer of your Honours Octob. 15. 1655. most humble servant in the Lords work RI. VINES The Reader is desired if the Printers mistakes following be not correctted to his hand that he will take notice of them in the reading In the first Sermon
patience possess your souls but you must needs be subject for this was the case of those Christians to whom the Apostle writes this lesson If the tree drop thorough you must not cut it down for it 's not your tree and it may yeeld better fruit If the fire burn the house you must not quench all the fire in the town for the Community receives benefit and the ordination is of God Thus far I have showen that neither the principles nor interests of Christianity do carry the least tincture of indisposition against Magistracy and why then is the scripture so solicitous in inculcating upon them this duty of subjection 1. The reason that respects the Christians of those times is that so great was the provocation offer'd to this profession at that time that the pot had need to be cooled for running over never was any religion of any kinde so universally and implacably entertained with causless outrage which showes both the diabolical spirit of the enemy and the verity of the Christian Religion 2. The other respects Christians of all times for they by their Christianity have such Dignity priviledges and liberties of spiritual nature that through pride and corruption are very obnoxious to be abused to carnal liberty and as the next verse saith made a cloak of wickedness especially if a wary distinction be not kept between obedience and subjection for obedience to their commands is often unjust because the thing commanded is unlawfull but subjection respects the authority which is the image of God and not to be resisted So much for the general The first particular reason is That so is the will of God I shall not enter into distinctions about Gods will here may be conceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the will of his pleasure according to which his purposes his providences and their effects are ordered and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 13. the good and acceptable will of God which orders our actions and obedience for obedience respects not as obedience the matter of a command that it be profitable or pleasant but the will of the Commander from whence it hath the denomination of obedience The will of God is 1. the highest reason 2. The most obliging of a Christian 3. The most proper reason for subjection The will of God is the highest reason as the command is the highest rule there must be some supreme will for there is no order sine relatione ad aliquid primum as in the order of causes I will hear the heaven the heaven shall hear the earth the earth shall hear the corn and that shall hear Jezreel Hosea 2. 22. so in the scale of Magistracy one rank is above another untill we arise up to the supreme for there is in every Common-wealth whether in one hand or in more some supreme wherein there must be some arbitrariness in legislation or law-making 2. The will of God is most obliging of a Christian whose prayer is fiat voluntas Domini It hath the greatest awe upon him above all interests and all reasons it is the welspring of all saving grace and the presence and favour of God accompanies our obedience to his will the father hath not left me alone John 8. 29. for I do alwayes those things that please him 3. It is the most proper and preponderating reason that can be given for this relation of Magistracy and subjection 1. The ordinance of Magistracy is of God the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. 2. This ordination is for the good of man for he is the Minister of God for good the heathen could say the Common-wealth is not for the Magistrate but he for the Common-wealth and therefore they are called Healers Shields Comers c. 3. It makes all sufferings tolerable even though the Magistrate use us harshly for it is the will of God 4. It makes Christianity acceptable to Nations because it yields subjection to government who otherwise would be extirpate and rooted out c. And this the first reason the second is that the will of God is that we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men In handling of which I should have handled these points 1. There will be calumnies cast upon Christianity 2. They are ignorant and foolish men that calumniate Christianity 3. It s Gods will that we should stop the mouth and put these calumnies to silence 4. It s practical godliness of conversation of which subjection to Authority is a part that puts to silence the mouthes of profane men that are opened against Religion for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this point I would have spoken a little to have shewn that it is not an opinionative profession but a practical conversation that gains reputation to Religion and cleares off seandals but Religion without honesty is but for the stage brings Infamy from very Heathens hardens men in their sins opens the mouth of scandals causes an enemy to blaspheme and heaps discomfort on our selves So much for the reason verse 15. now to the preoccupation of the objection We are free verse 16. and the points are three 1. That part of Christianity which is most obnoxious to abuse is Christian liberty 2. The abuse of this liberty is to make it or use it for a cloak of wickedness looseness sedition 3. The right use of this liberty is the imployment and exercise of it in Gods service 1. This part is most obnoxious to abuse the sound of the name suggests to carnal ear a carnal liberty True liberty is a power to do what we ought not what we will I confels Christianity is a free state but the freedoms of this city of God this kingdom of Christ are as the city and kingdom is not of this world A Christian is free from servility of a legal spirit by the spirit of Adoption from the yoak of legal bondage by Gospel doctrine from dominion of sin by renewing grace from condemnation and curse by the right of Christ and all through the redemption or price that ransomed him into freedome But as to his outward condition no man his condition is better by Religion He that is a slave is not made free He that hath no title is not entitled to another mans property but a sanctified use of his own He that is a private man is not made a Ruler much less is a wicked man let loose to lust and licentiousness The bond of filial subjection to parents of servants to masters of subjects to magistrates is not dissolved but strengthened and sweetened by Christianity we are free from dominion of mens lusts not of mens laws 2. The abuse of this liberty is to use it as a vail or cloak of wickednesse and wickednesse under such a cloak is double iniquity The zelots among the Jews who were the greatest vipers that ever breathed had the Temple the Religion the freedom of that people for the cloak of their horrible outrages And we
becomes not a Christian hand nor do we say they find it in such a hand in all the New Testament as if it might please them to have Pilate a Judge because he judged Christ no other must fit us But shall we thinke that John would not forbid the Publican his office as if inconsistent with Christianity and Christ hath forbidden the Magistrate his Are the Jewish Magistrates called Gods and do the Prophets call them Shields for their protection Corners for their support Nayles for their uniting of the people Zac. 10. 6. Isa 22. 23. Hos 4. 18. Doth the New Testament call them Dignities Principalities Powers yea the very heathen Magistrates Ministers and Officers for God and for thy Good Rom. 13. Doe the Heathens Plato and Homer call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviours and Shepheards of the people for so they are by the intention of their office and place though they be Nero's for blood and lust and shall they that are promised to be nursing fathers Isa 49. that are commanded to be so wise as to kisse the son Psal 2. that are prophefied to tread upon the Heathen Empire and crush the bloody Dragon be unfit to make a nail in the Gospell Commonwealth What must we turne our direction crosse to the Apostle and put Christians in mind not to be subject to Christian Magistrates and make them incapable of Government of Christians that are most fit for it and for whom we must pray that we may live a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2. 13 Qui regna dat coelestia non adimit terrena Will Christ take mens kingdoms away if they turn Christians Will he that is King of Kings have under his Empire no Christian Kings surely the Apostle commands 1 Tim. 6. 2. Those servants that have believing masters the rather to do them service and why the subject that hath a believing Magistrate should not do so too I know not In fine I might argue against this denial of Christian Magistracie by argument drawn from the scanpall which it draws upon Religion whereof Christ teaches every Christian to be chary Matth. 17. 27. but that I finde this kind of Libertines are not much moved with such arguments nor are they much date or in request with many that most pretend to holiness in these times I have used this length upon this place of Doctrine not because the sober part of men as I hope do much need it but as the Apostle saith 2 Thâ—s 2. 2. That you be not soon sheken in minde as that the day of Christ is at hand so I say to you that you be not shaken in minde as that the Kingdom of Christ as some say was at the threshold even now in 1656. For as it s said Luke 17. 20. this Kingdom comes not with observation It s a Jewish fancy to look for such pomp and splendor as temporal Monarchs are furnisht with It is within and already saith he amongst you for my Kingdom is not of this world It was set up in the days of those Kings as Daniel saith Cap. 2. 44. and shall never be destroyed but certainly that such a temporal Kingdom of Christ is so neer as shall put down the temporal civil Magistracy as now it obtains as Tapers that are eclipsed by the Sun or Candle-rushes put out by Torches is more then I can affirm and hath some unpleasant reflexion upon the Magistracy Christian From the third Point observe That this great debt of subjection and obedience be duly paid without grudging two things call for payment 1 The command of God whose Officer the Magistrate is 2 Your own good by whom you sleepe you walke you are masters of your own you are Masters of your lives you hold all these at this Rent-service your subjection There is a certain light in mans minde that tels them they cannot live together in society without this nail the mutinous members that rose up against the belly for eating up their labours were quieted by this oratory that it did but digest the meat for them nothing more pernicions then the inferiour his refusal of obedience to the Magistrate especially you that are Christians have most benefit by Magistracy for you are exposed to more envy of wicked men by your profession and are by your principles more unarmed from private revenge Besides that you hold your Religion your greatest treasure in peaceable possession by his inspection and protection except the Magistrate shall profess himself a Gallio that cares for no such thing or be like Esarhaddon that sent into the Kingdom of subdued Israel a mixture or gallimaufrey of several Religions in designe ut in commune consulere non sineret religionum diversitas that is That diversity of Religion might hinder common counsels But this Province I confess properly belongs to the Sovereigne though for the executive part to every Magistrate in his order place as the cause of the false prophet pertained to the Supream Judicature therefore our Saviour saith as Cunaeus observes Cunaeus de Repub. that a Prophet could not perish out of Jerusalem Blasphemy hurts the name Heresie the Truth Idolatry the worship of God of these the Magistrate is as he is called the heir of restraint Judges 18. 17. for in this the Prince as a Prince may serve God and cannot do it as he is as a private man I bespeak this at the Magistrates hand I mean restraint for that God expects it at his hand is plain by that that Idolatry was set up in Micah his house Judges 17. 8. because at that time there was no King in Israel Those that said Quid Imperatoricum Ecclesia the Donatists are justly upbraided by Augustine that when the Emperour was against them they cryed that cry When for them they changed their note as their own partiality and interest led them as all such kinde of spirits will still do at this day The Magistrate will punish corporal adultery will prohibit the sale of poysonous Drugs and there is no great reason but that the calamity of the Common-wealth may be prevented which may accure by depravation of Religion for thereby Respublica detrimentum capit as History and Experience may inform as for the Ministers way it is conviction so Christ dealt with the Saducees and the Churches way is binding by Coercion and the Magistrates way is restraint an coercion in a civil way The Doctrine of this Church always was that the intermedling of the Civil Magistrate in sacris was not that of Uzzia but of Hezekiah Josiah c. not to perform them but to see them done as Reinolds against Hart saith The Inferences from the fourth point are these which follow 1 To put you in minde of the Extent of this duty of subjection and obedience it reaches from him that is in highest to him that is of lowest rank in Magistracy all
reason why the Ancients so often called this Ordinance a Sacrifice which Chrysostom recalling himself saith Chrys in Heb. Homil. 17. pag. Grecat 856. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather the commemoration of a Sacrifice because they offer'd up their prayers and thanksgiving in the name of Christ the Sacrifice here commemorated for here is no real sacrificing of Christ to God that turns the Table into a crosse but here is the commemoration of a Sacrifice and a feasting and feeding thereupon by faith as men that are in covenant and fellowship with God CHAP. XIII A Lamentation for the neglect of this Ordinance NOw to the Use of this point The Lord hath left it in charge that his Church do celebrate this Ordinance in remembrance of him And §. 1. First We may bewail that great eclipse which hath befallen this Ordinance here with us of later years the like to which hath not been seen in England since it became Protestant the remembrance and memorial of Christ hath been even forgotten and the Ordinance of Communion been render'd as the apple of contention and division a matter of quarrel rather than of use the losse that is gained by this intermission or neglect or disuse or it is very great for we lose an inestimable benefit by it the solemn remembrance of Christ with the comforts thence resulting we lose a duty by it for Christ said Do this and is it not a great losse to lose so signal a note of the Church of Christ so great a benefit and the visible mischief hath been very great for hereby separation hath been mightily advanced the people like sheep wanting fodder at their own crib have scatter'd themselves to other cribs and pastures where they might finde sustenance and several communions have been taken up on the same reason that water being carn'd or stopt from this old channel findes out or makes other water-courses and leaves the other channel dry and the generality of the people by their too easie patience under so great a famine have given too sad an argument how easily they would part with all Religion that have so carelesly suffer'd the losse of so great a part thereof as this Ordinance is I know that we shall like Josephs brethren be ready to transfer the fault on others no man will own it and yet haply we are all guilty it but in this that the Apostle said to the Corinthians in another case 1 Cor. 5. 2. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned For had not pride and envy discontent and security prevailed over us we might have mourned and lamented after or over this losse or eclypse and thereby have manifested not only a good disposition of heart in feeling the want of Ordinances but a very good sign that God would restore it and a good part of preparation in our selves to the due and orderly receiving of it the childe is either very sullen or sick that cries not for his bread §. 2 §. 2. The Occasions of the Eclypse of this Ordinance in our dayes If we look upon the reason or occasions of that great eclypse which hath befallen this Ordinance for so long a time and in so many places of this Land we might be long upon so unpleasing a subject but I shall but touch and so away 1. As I look upon God without whose hand this could not come to passe I acknowledge that when he brings a man or a Church into an incapacity of Sacraments as Israel in the wildernesse or as in that case then that a man was unclean by reason of a dead body or in a journey far off Numb 9. 10. and such like cases now There is a relaxation of this command for the time and either necessity or duty may dispence with our forbearance And I further say That God is just in punishing us with this losse or stroke for our abuse and contempt of this holy Ordinance in former times by shutting out those that were fit to be admitted meerly upon a ceremonious inconformity and compelling in upon penalty that by this test they might finde out Recusant Papists such as were contrary to their own rules sottishly ignorant notoriously wicked and therefore I conceive this storm may be upon us and this breach in this Ordinance for the Lord tels Israel that when in good intention they sought to bring up the Ark of God and laid it on a Cart which should have been carried on the shoulders of the Levites he made a breach upon them for that they sought him not after the due order 1 Chron. 15. 13. For God is severely holy in exacting of us the due order of his Ordinances as we may see in Nadab and Abâ—hu and in that great rule Numb 10. 3. I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me When we take hold of mis-shapen Ordinances put out of forme by us we take a knise by the edge and not the haft we cut our fingers 2. As for them of the Separation whose advantage it was and of some of them the design to have us broken that they might thrive as the people on the Sea-coast do by the wrack They I say while some were labouring and all were waiting for to have Gods order stamped by civil Authority not to give esteem or value to that which is of God but to make it more currant with us As the stamp makes not the gold more precious but more currant in common use While I say some were endeavouring this or haply some of you will say While men slept the envious man sowed his tares and took his opportunity of that long vacation as Israel did of Moses his absence in the Mount and they planted their battery here upon this Sacrament and cried down promiscuous Communions with all their might laying a good foundation That onely visible Saints are fit Communicants which is true as to the Churches Admission That real Saints only are worthy Communicants which is true too as to the inward grace or benefit but then as alwayes in such cases it is the superstructure was hay and stubble That Saints are only such as are of their making and judging And That they that are of their opinion or party though vicious in life and empty of true grace are Saints and thence come the several Communions and divisions moulded up together into several bodies for and by interests passions and worldly ends which I speak not of all for some godly souls might be carried away to enjoy this Sacrament in a Communion more pleasing to them as Aaron was in the businesse of the golden Calf and others were mightily taken with it who hardly passing for honest men at home in their own Churches were presently canonized â—or Saints All the Congregation are Saints every one of them saith Corah Numb 16. 3. 3. When I look upon the standing Ministers who should dispense the Sacrament I must plead this for them that while it is their intention and
know and own their misery and finde an absolute necessity of conversion the want of this is the reason that men lie so fast asleep in security and pursue their beloved sinnes without check or control Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel And how is that He mocks at fear and is not affrighted He saith among the Trumpets Ha ha Job 39. 19 c. It would take off their edge and metal If men did but consider and believe how directly their wayes point toward the eternal damnation of their souls The Rule of this Examination or the glasse which makes this reflexion is the severe Law of God which involves all sinners under a curse That which is required of all Christians is to prove their own works whether they be wrought in God in order to their own comfort Gal. 6. 4. Let every man prove his own work and so shall he have rejoycing in himself And this is the sweet and immediate reward of all sincere duties which leave a sweet taste or savour behinde them Heb. 11. 5. Enoch before his Translation had this testimony that he pleased God This is that reward which God gives his people before their translation as first-fruits before the harvest the unspeakable comfort of a sincere duty Nor only his works but a Christian is to examine his spiritual estate 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whether you be in the faith Know ye not that Christ is in you we should not only be but know we are and this by examining The Rule of which examination is the Gospel which gives marks and evidences of it That which is required of all Communicants is to examine their fitnesse and meetnesse which is their worthinesse to come and eat at the Lords Table and the Rule of this Examination is the Ordinance it self or the institution of it as I have before shew'd for the graces to be exercised in it and bespoken by it are the Rule by which we must examine our selves whether we have them in us or no and this self-examination this particular whereof the Sacrament it self is the Rule is that I have to insist upon and therefore I am not bound by the Law of the Text to flie so great a compasse as to handle the common-place of self-examination in all his latitude neither will I do it but onely premise certain generall practicall positions whereby we may be either moved unto or directed in the performance of this unpleasing duty self-examination and they are these §. 3 §. 3. Practicall Positions to move us unto and direct us in the duty of examining our selves at all times First The benefit of self-acquaintance is exceeding great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the old wise sentences though interpreted by them the proud way not as Religâ—on teaches the humble way Of all acquaintances which you can have in this world this is the nearest acquaintance and indeed the hardest to get if we were not unwilling to get acquaintance with our selves the Scripture need not use so frequent exhortations How miserable are they which pursue discoveries and amasse knowledge of almost every thing and yet live and die strangers to themselves One of the first works which the Word and Spirit works in men is to give them a light to go down into the dark cellar of their hearts and make discoveries then a man begins to be amazed and tremble at the fight of himself It 's said of the lost sonne Luke 15. that he came to himself Self-knowledge is the School-mistress of humility We are proud because we know not our selves He that knows not himself must needs be proud He that knows himself loaths himself He that knows his sins sees necessity of Christ He that knows his wants prayes He that knows his weaknesse fears and flies to the Rock He that brings knowledge of himself to a Sermon gathers out of the garden those herbs that are medicinal to him He that knows his own temptations avoids the occasions that use to ensnare him He that knows his own experiences hopes with patience when he sees no light It 's true the heart is deceitfull and who can know it But we need not taste all the water in the Sea to know it to be brackish nor taste every crab to know the tree We know the earth well enough though we never digg'd to the centre no man is bound to number all his sinnes or thoughts God hath taught us that all a natural mans imaginations are onely evil continually evil It 's enough to know our selves judgingly so farre as may occasion us to know Christ savingly whose riches are unsearchable and cannot throughly be known and perfectly Secondly A man may be deceived in his spiritual estate all his life time for want of self-examination in a due manner by a right Rule we are full of self-flattery and of hypocrisie we disguise and extenuate our sinnes we set a varnish and good aspect on our works and virtues Before his conversion Paul Rom. 7. thought himself alive and that he was in the right afterward he cals it Confidence in the flesh After a Phil. 3. man comes into the opinion and profession of Christ he may be in the case of the Church of Laodicea Thou sayest I am rich and knowest not that thou art naked The Jew outwardly thinks he is a Jew inwardly The foolish Virgins do not see but that they are wise I know there is a Rule of certain discerning but if we put not our selves into the scales we may seem to our selves to be good weight when we are too light I do not think that all hypocrites are discover'd to themselves which is the saddest mistake that can be in the world never to be convinced till we hear that word Depart I know ye not Not that I think that any sincere heart that is willing to come unto the light and cries with the Psalmist Psal 139. 23. Search me O Lord and try me doth ever perish in this deceit for such a one hath Christ and therefore hath life and we are not saved because we know we have him but because we have him Some are in Christ but do not perfectly own it It 's a safe errour but they that think they believe in him and do not are not saved because they think they do but damned because they do not and this is a dangerous errour The Lord put it into your hearts to examine your selves and prove your selves the onely way I know to get out of this flattering mistake Thirdly Men that live in the bosom of the Church are by nothing more kept out of Christ than the opinion that they have him already They have a faith which keeps them from faith and a believing that holds them fast in unbelief Dr Whitakers approves that saying of Melancthon That historical faith infinitely differs from justifying
the building into one as indeed they would if men were not so opinion-big as to make every extravagant or at least extrinsicall opinion fundamental and as an Atlas to a new-Church building I come now to the second part of the Text which is the character or description of the impostors and seducers that do unsettle men whereof I shall open the termes or words 1. Sleight of men The originall word for sleight doth properly signifie Dice-playing and by a metaphor taken from players at Dice which sort of men you shall seldom reade of in sober authours without some brand of infamie it sets out the qualitie of false teachers and in this all agree but then in the very point of application of this similitude there is a little difference 1. As the cast of the Die is changeable and variable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alea nihil incertius so are these teachers and such is their doctrine and therefore he calls it sleight of men opposing this doctrine of theirs to that of Gods pure word which is alwayes like it self and hath no interests passions crooked ends as men have 2. As dice-players can cogge the Die and make it answer what cast they please so these teachers have an act of mixing and adulterating the word so as to make it answer their own profit or advantage but whether it be so or so or both wayes you see what these teachers make of their hearers meer tablemen which the dice-player carries hither and thither and moves from point to point as he pleases 3. Cunning craftinesse The same word that is used to expresse the subtilty of the serpent tempting Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. He beguiled Eve through his subtilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies the deep policie of men 1 Cor. 3. 19. He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse and so it imports that these teachers are veterators beaten fellowes men exercised and skilfull to deceive 4. They lye in wait to deceive And the word in this Text is also used Ephes 6. 11. that ye may be able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he to stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the stratagems of the Devill fot it signifies properly an ambushment or stratagem of warre whereby the enemy sets upon a man ex insidiis at unawares denoting the specious and faire overtures and pretences of false teachers spreading their net under the chaffe to catch the silly bird for it is plain that all their sleight and craftinesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this very end and purpose that they may entrap and catch men within the ambush of their impostures That which I collect from this part of the Text is Doct. 1 What oddes the Apostle makes between the seducer and the seduced even as much as between an old fowler and a young bird the one he calls children simple easie credulous people the other is a shrewd gamester a man of subtilty and stratagems I cannot therefore but upon this observation exhort you to take heed of playing with such stake down nothing especially not your soules come not within their ambush I wonder that petties and novices in knowledge will forsake the Congregations and open assemblies of Gods people to frequent private houses where these teachers lay their ambuscado would not all men condemn the folly of a young man of great estate that should deal with a crafty gamester For these seducers whose design is to make merchandise of their hearers 2 Pet. 2. 3. do most of all aime at them who are good prize they care not much for a sheep that hath not a good fleece I beseech you be wise you may be caught though you mean it not God may give you up captive to error for your vanity in forsaking his assemblies Haply you resolve that you will not be caught no more did Dinah intend to be defiled when she went forth to see the daughters of the Land or Peter to deny Christ when he went to the high Priests hall there is no man but will beleeve a lye when God gives him up to delusion one may be infected with the plague by looking in at the window our nature is apt to receive impressions of error It s observed of sheep that they eat no grasse more greedily then that which rots them wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers beleeve it not Matth. 24. 26. And what may some say would you have us come up to an Idols Temple and communicate in Idolatry No Come not ye to Gilgal nor go up to Bethaven Hosea 4. 15. Woods and caves and the I le of Pathmos are to be preferred to such assemblies or should Christians abstain all private meetings and confine their Religion as many do to a Church and a Common-Prayer Book Far be it from us Antichrist and Popery will feel the wounds of such private Assemblies as long as they draw any breath the enemies of God and his Church know what reason they have to hate conventicles as they call them All that I have to say is that you stick fast unto and make use of your pastours and teachers which are the gifts of Jesus Christ unto his Church ver 11. and that you come not into the secret of these who are described ver 14. by their sleight and subtilty to deceive Doct. 2 Seducers are Artists and Craftes masters in sleight and subtilty and stratagems of deceit they have artifices and wayes and methods to take men at unawares and to convey their poison privily who privily shall bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2. 1. they will not resist the truth aper to marte but cunningly undermine it as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth 2 Tim. 3. 8. that is by sleight and counterfeiting to do the same thing so that one shall have much adoe to distinguish between the Serpents of Moses and them of the Magicians for they also did the like by their inchantments Exod. 7. 11. It seemes these seducers are men of parts the Apostle describes them in the same words as the old Serpent is described by whose subtilty we exchanged Paradise for thistles and bryers which first example should teach us for ever to take heed of them that are of his breed who was more subtill then any beast of the field that which being sanctified or well imployed might be called wisdom being corrupted and abused is called craftinesse therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though usually taken in the worser part for Drusius in Job cap. 5. ver 13. subtilty and cunning yet sometimes it signifies wisedom and lawfull policie there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good and honest craftinesse or policie whereby a Minister being a fisher of men may catch such as by indiscretion will otherwise be hardned scandalized and lost both to himself and God we are in great want of
this policie of discretion in the management of our Ministery by breaking old bottles with new wine and by exposing Religion to contempt of them whom we might have either convinced or at least disarmed of occasion against the truth but no farther upon this point I must remember that I am upon the subtilty and stratagems of impostours that lie in wait to seduce some of which I shall point out unto you as I find them in the Scriptures that so you may perform that duty which is more then once enjoyned upon you in this case that is beware The common design of all false teachers is to make merchandise of people 2 Pet. 2. 3. they negotiate their own ends and have an eye to the stake when they cast the die their credit profit lusts are the center to which they draw every line they have eyes full of adultery and their heart is exercised in covetousnesse they follow the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet 2. 14 15. and the Apostle beseeches the brethren to mark such which cause divisions and offences because they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly Rom. 16. 18. but how doth the Apostle know this For mens ends lie close and how is it that he seemes to charge it upon all of them Are they all covetous Have all of them eyes full of adultery Do they all make their belly their God c. It s true that ends lie close a man may deny one and seek another Simon Magus laies by his great repute gotten by sorcery to seek himself in getting power by laying on of hands to give the holy Ghost and this he carried so cunningly as to passe with Philip undiscovered pride may be trampled upon in pride and books written against vain-glory only to get glory bye ends may be preacht against even out of bye ends as all that bowl at the same marke doe not take the same ground so men in seeking themselves may drive severall trades one is for credit another for his palat another for his purse c. but this in the general wil hold good seducers are self seekers For the service of this main designe these and such like are their arts or method The Apostle tells us that by good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. the word he useth for simple is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that are otherwise not evil or as we vulgarly call them harmlesse innocent men easie to be led aside It should seem the Corinthian teachers with whom Paul had such bickerings had a faculty of pithanology or perswasive lenociny of words whereby they did suadendo docere not so much convince by evidence of truth as perswade with woing words It concernes very much to hold fast the form of wholesome words 2 Tim. 1. 13. which the Apostle opposeth to questions and logomachies or strife of words and perverse disputings 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. as also to prophane and vain bablings 2 Tim. 2. 16. Plerunque illa duo coharent mutatio doctrinae novi modi loquendi Chem. loc com and 1 Tim. 6. 20 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty words and novell expressions you all know that by losing the genuine and proper meaning of the word Church and Bishop c. we had almost forgot the Scripture use of them and brought the Church within the pale of the Clergy and the Bishop into a throne above the Ministers of the word The Apostle Peter speaking of false teachers hath an expression or two to this purpose They speak great swelling words of vanity 2 Pet. 2. 18. that is they speak great bubbles of words full of wind strong lines or bigge fancies to bear down people by that torrent and again in the 2 Pet. 2. 3. through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merchandise of you What are these fained words do not they mean the same as that 1 Tim. 4. 2. speaking lies in hypocrisie or should it not rather be taken for a set and composed form of words such as Merchants use in commending their wares so sale shewing the goodnesse and properties of the commodity they desire to put off and even belying it into credit for to that the words seem to allude I shall not dwell upon this but certainly it is not for nothing that seducers are found to hide their hook under words and expressions which they do artificially fit and compose for the purpose a good Title sells a sorry Book And all times will bear witnesse that it hath been the property of such men as have had any monster to bring to light to use obscurity and cloudinesse of expression that what is unshapen and without form at the first may afterwards be lickt into porportion errors are bashfull at first and comming out of the darke cannot look broad-waken upon the light and therefore they are by their parents or nurses alwayes swathed up in clouts of ambiguity as the Oracles of old lapt up their Effata or as he that wrote Edvardum regem occidere nolite timere bonum est where the comma helps him out at which door he pleases thus the sepia goes away in her own ink and the door is left half chare to make escape They baite their hook with such baites as are proper to the fish they would catch Els they were not good anglers to which the Apostle seemes to compare them in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 18. which is to allure as a bait doth the fish And what is that bait See ver 19. they promise them liberty there is not a more catching bait then liberty Is it likely that Jesus Christ or his Ministers that preach a yoke a daily crosse a forsaking all for him should make such great draughts of fish as they that promise liberty But what liberty haply they may call it Christian liberty or liberty of conscience so the serpent said ye shall be as gods but what is it indeed Is it not a liberty from the control or check of superiours and their authority for they despise dominion 2 Pet. 2. 10. and speak evil of dignities Iude 8. and therefore doth the Apostle Paul so much call for obedience and subjection to Magistrates Masters Ministers thereby anticipating or correcting the thoughts of Libertinisme unto which the name of Gospel liberty might be abused Surely our Lord Christ hath not brought in a saturnalia or exemption of Christians from the Scepter of Government or the rod of Discipline Nor is liberty of conscience though sacred and inviolable a freedom to be or do what we will for by that engine the sword might be easily wiped out of the Magistrates and the Keyes out of the Churches hand and then we should find our selves returned to a Chaos without form and void