heard of no not among the heathen Last this was now not in a corner but all over the land Mica was at Mount Epâ—raim in the middst Gibea was at one end and Dan at the other So the middst and both ends all were wrapped in the same confusion But what shall this be suffered and no remedy sought GOD forbid First the Eye error in the eye is harme enough and order must be taken even for that For men doe not erre in judgement but with hazard of their soules very requisite therefore that men be travailed with â—hat they may see their owne blindnesse Then that the councel be followed Apoc. 3. that eye-salve be bought of him and applied to the eyes Revel 3 1â— that that may seeme to them right that is so indeed This if it may be is best But if they be strong ly conceited of their owne sight and marveil at CHRIST as they Iohn 9.40 What are we blind trow and will not endure any to come neere their eyes if we cannot cure their eyes what shall we not hold their hands neither Yes in any wise So long as they but see though they see amisse they hurt none but themselves it is but suo damno to their own hurt and that is enough nay too much it may be as much as their soules be worth But that is all if it stay there and goe further then the eye But when they see amisse and that grossely what shall their hand be suffered to follow their eye â—heir hand to be as desperate in mis-doing as their eye darke in mistaking to the detriment of others and the scandall of all That may not be We cannot pull mens eyes out of their heads nor their opinions neither but shall we not pinion their hands or binde them to the peace Yes whatsoever become of rectum in oculis order must be taken with fecit or els farewell all Foule rule we are like to have even for all the world such as was heere in Israel We see then the maladie II. The cause 1 Non erat Rex more then time we sought out a remedie for it That shall we best doe if we know the cause The cause is heere sett downe and this is it Non erat Rex Is this the cause We would perhapps imagine many causes besides but GOD passeth by them all and layeth it upon none but this Non erat Rex And seeing he hath assigned that onely for the cause we will not be wiser then he but rest our selves in it The rather for that Ex ore inimici we have as much For these miscreants whom He sets on worke to bring Realmes to confusion and to root out Religion that every one may do that is good in their own eyes to this point they all drive Vt ne sit REX Away with the King that is their only way Heaven and hell both are agreed that is the cause To make short worke then If the cause be There is no King Let there be one that is the remedie A good King will helpe all If it be of absolute necessity that neither Mica for all his wealth nor Dan for all their forces nor Gibea for all their multitude doe what they list And if the misse of the Kings were the cause that all this were amisse no better way to cease it no better way to keepe Religion from Idolatrie mens lives and goods in safety their vessells in honour then by Kings No more effectuall barr to fecit quisque quod rectum in oculis then Rex in Israël This will better appeare if we take it in sunder There was no King He doth not charge them with a flat Anarchie that there was no Estates no kind of government among them but this onely there was no King What then there were Priests would not they serve It seemed they would not Phinees was to looke to their eyes But somewhere there be some such as Hosee speakes of Populus hic quasi qui contradicit Sacerdoti Osc. 4.4 This People will looke to Phinee's eyes Set their Priests and Preachers to Schoole and not learne of them but learne them Divinitie The Iudges are to looke to their Hands But there are too somewhere such as he speaketh of CHAP. VII VER VII Devorabunt Iudices such Osc. 7.7 as if it take them in the head will not sticke to supp up and swallow downe their Iudges specially inter arma How then shall we have a Militarie Government Nay that is too violent and if it lye long the remedy proves as ill as the disease To me a plaine evidence that though all these were all these were not perfect There was one yet missing that was to do this to better purpose then yet it had been done and till he were had they were not where they should be This is then GOD 's meanes We cannot say his onely meanes in that we see there are States that subsist without them but this vve may say His best meanes The best saith the Philosopher for Order Peace Strength Steadinesse and proves them all one by one But best say the Fathers for that had there beene a better then this GOD would not last have resolved on this This is the most perfect he last brought them to Hither til they came He changed their governement From Iosua a Captaine to the Iudges From the Iudges to Eli and Samuel Priests But heer when he had settled them he changed no more And this Act of GOD in this change is enough to shew where it is not there is a defect certainly such a State we may repute defective Besides you shall observe Of those three estates which swayeth most that in a manner doth over-topp the reâ—t and like a foregrowen member depriveth the other of their proportion of growth The world hath seene it in two already and shall dayly more and more see it in the third Requisite therefore there be One over all that is none of all but a common Father to all that may peize and keepe them all in equilibrio that so all the Estates may be evenly ballanced This Act then of GOD in this change is enough to teach that this Non erat Rex is a defect certainly and where there is not one we may report the estate for deficient At least thus farr that GOD yet may change it into a more perfect as he did his owne And againe this that it is not conformed to the governement simply the most perfect of all the governement of the whole when as the inferior bodies are ruled by the Superiour so a multitude by unitie that is all by one Thus farr on these words There was no King howsoever other States there were Non Rex in Israel The next point is No King in Israel That this is not noted as a defect in grosse or at large but even in Israel GOD'S owne chosen people It is a want not in Edom or Canaan but
Ezek. 18.20 falsifie the truth that may not be And then steppes up Righteousnesse and seconds her Righteousnesse seconding her Psal. 145.17 that GOD as He is true in His word so is He righteous in all His workes So to reddere suum cuique to render each his owne to every one that is his due and so to the sinner stipendium peccati the wages of sinne that is death God forbid Rom. 6.23 the Iudge of the world should iudge unjustly that were as before to make Truth false so heere to do Right wrong Nay it went further and they made it their owne cases What shall become of me said Righteousnesse What use of Iustice if GOD will doe no justice if He spare sinners And what use of me sayth Mercie if He spare them not Hard hold there was inasmuch as Perij nisi homo moriatur sayd Righteousnesse I dye if he dye not And Perij nisi Misecicordiam consequatur sayd Mercie if he dye I dye too To this it came and in those termes brake up the meeting and away they went one from the other Truth went into exile as a stranger upon earth The first meeting broken up Terras Astraea reliquit she confined her selfe in Heaven where so aliened she was as she would not so much as looke downe hither upon us Mercie she staid below still ubi enim Misericordia esset sayth Hugo well si cum misero non esset Where should Mercie be if with miserie she should not be As for Peace she went betweene both to see if she could make them meet againe in better termes For without such a meeting no good to be done for us For meet they must and that in other termes or it will goe wrong with us Our Salvation lies a bleeding all this while The Plea hangs and we stand as the prisoner at the barre and know not what shall become of us For though two be for us there are two against us as strong and more stiffe then they So that much depends upon this second Meeting upon the composing or taking up this difference For these must be at peace betweene themselves before they at peace with us or we with GOD. And this is sure we shall never meet in heaven if they meet no more And many meanes were made for this meeting many times but it would not be Where stayed it It was not long of Mercie she would be easily entreated to give a new meeting no question of her Oft did she looke up to heaven but Righteousnesse would not looke downe Not look not that Small hope she would be got to meet that would not look that way-ward Indeed all the question is of her It is Truth and she that holds of but specially She. Vpon the Birth you see heer is no mention of any in particular but of Her as much to say as the rest might be dealt with she only it was that stood out And yet she must be got to meet or els no meeting No meeting till Iustice satisfied All the hope is that she doth not refuse simply never to meet more but stands vpon satisfaction Els Righteousnesse should not be righteous Being satisfied then she will remaining vnsatisfied so she will not meet All stands then on her satisfying how to devise to give her satisfaction to her mind that so she may be content once more not to meet and argue as yer-while but to meet and kisse meet in a ioynt concurrence to save us and set us free And indeed Hoc opus there lies all how to set a song of these foure parts in good harmonie how to make these meet at a love-day how to satisfie Iustice upon whom all the stay is Not in any but the Christian Religion And this say I no Religion in the world doth or can doe but the Christian. No Queer sing this Psalme but ours None make Iustice meet but it Consequently None quiet the conscience soundly but it Consequently no Religion but it Withall religions els at odds they be and so as they are faigne to leave them so For meanes in the world have they none how to make them meet Not hable for their lives to tender Iustice a Satisfaction that will make her come in The words next before are that glorie may dwell in our land Verse 9. This glorie doth dwell in our land indeed And great cause have we all highly to blesse GOD Psal. 16.6 that hath made our lott to fall in so faire a ground That we were not borne to enherit a lie that we were borne to keepe this Feast of this Meeting For bid any of them all but shew you the way how to satisfie Iustice soundly and to make her come to this meeting how GODS Word may be true and His worke just and the Sinner find mercie and be saved for all that They cannot The Christian onely can doe it and none els All beside for lack of this passe by the wounded man and let him lie still and bleed to death Luk. 10.31.32 Bid the Turke All he can say is Mahomets prayer shall be upon you Mahomets prayer what is that Say he were that he was not a just man a true Prophet What can his prayers doe but move Mercie But GODS Iustice how is that answered Who shall satisfie that Not prayers Iustice is not moved with them heares them not goes on to sentence for all them He can goe no further he cannot make justice meet Bid the Heathen he sayes better yet then the Turke They saw that without shedding of blood there was no satisfying Iustice Heb 9.22 and so no remission of sinne To satisfie her sacrifices they had of beasts But it is impossible as the Apostle well notes that the blood of bulls or goats should satisfie for our sinnes Heb. 10.4 A man Sinne and a beast dye Iustice will none of that What then will ye goe as farr as some did the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Mic. 6.7 Nor that neither For if it were the first borne the first borne was borne in Sinne and Sinne for Sinne can never satisfie This Meeting will not be there Bid the Iew he can but tell you of his Lamb neither And while time was that was not amisse while it stood in reference to Saint Iohn Baptists Lamb Ioh 1.29 the LAMB of GOD this day yeaned as having the operation the working in the vertue of that That being now past there is no more in the Iewe's then in the Gentiles sacrifice Beasts both both short of satisfying So for all that these can doe or say no meeting will there be had Onely the Christian Religion that shewes the true way There is One there thus speaketh to Iustice Sacrifice and sinne-offerings thou wouldest not have then said I Lo I come He of whom it was written in the volume of the booke Psal. 40.6 c. that He should do
hath GOD holpen us whose arme is not shortned though PHARAOH 's heart be hardned Hitherto Salvation hath GOD sett for our walls and Bulwarkes and our Prince Prince Alkum and our enemie hath not boasted himselfe at the putting of his armour as at the buckling it on 1. Reg. 20.11 â— and our Neighbours glad to lay hold of our skirts and say We will be yours for we see GOD is with you Zac. 8.10 The great blessing of GOD having been upon us Deut. 28.12 Thou shalt lend to many Nations but shalt borrow of none Such hath hitherto been our song and such may it long be yea ever O LORD And that it may so be DAVID teacheth the way of keeping it so still Namely by Setting fast the Pillars of it Which is the second principall point What this strength is and what the Pillers are that beare it up The HOLY GHOST speaking of strength nameth two Gen. 32.28 as indeed the Scripture knoweth no more 1 The strength of IACOB and 2 the strength of ISRAEL 1 Of IACOB supplanting or prevailing over men 2 and of ISRAEL prevailing with GOD. IACOB'S strength I call whatsoever the counsell or might of man affoordeth His prudent forecast whereby he over-reached ESAV Gen. 27.36 and LABAN 30.37 And his bow and sword whereby he wanne from the Amorite Gen. 48.10 Vnder these two I comprehend all humane strength the strength of IACOB But when all is done we must reserve and keepe a strength for GOD saith DAVID Psal. 59.9 Who if he forsake Alexandria 2. Nahum 3.8 though it have the Sea for his ditch it shall be carried captive who if he forsake Ephraim though they be well harnessed and carie bowes they shall turne themselves back in the day of battell Therefore Psal. 77.9 ever DOMINVS commeth in Deut. 33.7 Iuda's owne hands are sufficient to helpe Si tu DOMINE If thou LORD helpe him against the enemie And Nisi Dominus If that the LORD doe not keepe the house and watch the house and make fast the Pillars all is in vaine Psal. 127.1 Ioine saith the Wiseman Ittiel that is Pro. 30.1 Dominus mecum and then Vcal that is Praevalebo will not tarry from you Vcal and He goe ever together Sever saith DAVID Hij in curribus Hij in equis from In nomine Domini the next newes you shall heare of them is * Psal. 20.8 Ibi ceciderunt c There they are brought downe and fallen Therefore we must allow Israël a strength also without which Iacob's forecast shall faile for He casteth out the counsells of Princes Psal. 33.10 and his sword too For He can rebate the edge of the sword Psalme 89.43 Two strengths then there are and these two DAVID heere termeth two Pillers that we may know what be the Pillers of the Land For such was the manner of the Iewish building arch-wise upon two maine Pillers to set it We may see it by Samson's desire Ind. 16.29 so to be placed as the two Supporters of the Temple might be in his two hands that bowing them all the Church might come downe upon their heads Such an arch of government doth DAVID heere devise two Pillers bearing it up He telleth us they be two and he telleth us what they be for he hath already named them in the two former Vses 1 Celebrabimus te IEHOVA in the first And 2 Iustitias judicabo in the second GOD and Right the Pillers Yet these two Pillers as strong and as steddy as they are except they be looked to and vpheld except they have an Vpholder and that a good one Religion will cleave and Iustice bend and they both sinke and the whole frame with them Therefore mention is made heere of a person put in trust with the bearing them up which is the third point Which Person is heere Ego autem the first that is DAVID the first and the chiefe Person in any governement He it is upon whom both these leane He is the Head 2. Sam. 15.17 that guideth these two armes He the breath of life in both these nosthrills Yea of all the body saith Ieremie Lam. 4.20 of Iosias Even Christus Domini the Annointed of the LORD is the breath of all our nosthrills Familiar it is and but meane but very full and forceable the Simile of Esay wherein he compareth the Prince to a naile driven into a wall Esa. 22.23 whereon are hanged all both the vessells of service and the Instruments of Musique that is He beares them up all And great cause to desire GOD fast may it sticke and never stirre this naile for if it should all our Cuppes would batter with the fall and all the Musique of our Quire be marred that is both Church and Countrey be put in danger Which GOD willing to shew saith Philo Iudaeus He did place the fifth Commandement which is the Crowne-commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in the middle and confines of both Tables Those touching Religion and those touching Iustice that with one arme He might stay Religion and with the other stay Iustice and so uphold both And where such support hath wanted both have lyen on the ground For both of Mica's Idolatrie that is corrupt Religion and of the villanie offered at Gibeah and of the outrage committed by them of Dan both in rifling houses and sacking whole townes that is of open injustice GOD rendereth no cause but this Non erat Rex the Pillers went downe Ego wanted Without which that is an established governement we should have no Common-wealth Gen. 10.5 but a wild forrest where Nimrod and his crew would hunt and chase all others No Common-wealth but a Pond where the great fish would devoure the small Abac. 1.15 Nothing but a sort of sheepe scattered without a Shepheard saith MOSES Num. 27.17 Psal. 95.7 Psal. 44 22. No more Oves Pascuae sheepe of the Pasture when their Governor is gone but Oves occisionis sheepe for the slaughter Non populus sed turba No People but a Rout No building nor Pillers but a heape of stones Num. 23.21 Therefore a joyfull noise is the shout of a King among them Ioyfull indeed every way but joyfull especially if this Ego be not Saul but David David which giveth strength vnto the Pillers and not Saul an empairer or weakner of them It is David's complaint in the forepart he found the land weake when he came to it So Saul had left it It is his promise that as Saul by his slacknesse had brought the estate low So he by his vigilancie would raise it up againe And this is the last point how Saul decayed and David restored the Pillers againe Eâ—l 1â— 18 The Wise man saith that evill looking to will decay the principalls of any building and that was Saule's defect as the Scripture recordeth Religion first Instead of Celebrabimus 1. Chr. 13 3. Negligimus IEHOVAM King David in
And commonly other spirits are more violent and make a greater noise then the true Spirit The other two 1 of comming from heaven 2 comming for the Church from the holy heaven to the holy Church are both in sancto and sapere quae sursum being wise from thence and regard to religion and the Church are the two best Characters to discerne the Holy spirit by The Holy Spirit that is His Graces Now ye will understand of your selves I shall not need to tell you when we speake of the Holy Spirit as it filleth us we meane not the Essence or person of the Holy Ghost that fillâ—th heaven and earth saith the Prbohet and there is no going from it saith the Psalmist But onely certaine impressions of the Spirit Ier 23.24 Psal. 19 7. The Psalmist calleth them gifts Psal. LXVIII XVIII The Apostle Graces I. Cor. XII VII which carrie the name of their Cause so that in the Dialect or Idiom of the Scriptures to be filled with them is to be filled with the Spirit To shew this otherwhile they be joyned the spirit and power of ELIAS that is the power of the spirit Luke 1.17 the Wisdome and spirit of STEPHEN that is the wisdome of the Spirit Acts 6.10 And because these Gifts and Graces be of many points more Points of this Wind then there be of the Compasse and as it were many spirits in one sixe saith a Esay 11.6 Esai sevâ—â— saith b Apoc 1 4.3.1 S. IOHN they are all recapitulate under these two 1 Vnder the Wind is represented the saving grace which all are to have so to serve GOD that they may please Him as necessarie to all and without which we can be no more in our spirituall life then we can without our breath in our naturall This is generall to all It is said repleti sunt omnes the hearer must have it as well as the speaker It must ayre and drie up the superfluity of our nature els the fire will not kindle in us but turne all to smoke Of this Spirit are those nine points Gal. V. XXII 2 The other Gal. 2.22 represented in the Tongues sett forth unto us another kind of Grace principally meant and sent for the benefit of others given therefore in Tongues which serve to teach and in fire which serveth to warme others to shew are given and received for the good of others rather then of themselves And of this Spirit are the Points reckoned up I. Cor. XII VII And now we know what it was they were filled with let us come to the measure 2. The measures Repleti sunt Repleti sunt It was not spiritus transiens but implens a wind not that blew through them as it doth through many of us I know not how oft but that filled them they were the fuller for it Which word of filling wanteth not his speciall force referre we it to their estate now compared with what it was before repleti sunt or to their estate in this point compared with other since and namely with our selves Repleti sunt illi With theiâ— owne estate first For there is no question 1. Repleti sunt compared with their former estate Ioh. 20.22 they were not emptie or void of the Spirit before this comming They had not beene baptized by CHRIST Hâ— had not breathed on them and bidd them receive the HOLY GHOST in vaine If before this they had died none would have doubted of the estate of their soules This filling then first sheweth us there be diverse measures of the Spirit some single some double portions as appeareth by ELISAE'S petition not all of one size or scantling That as there are degrees in he wind Aura ventus procella a breath 1. Reg 2.9 a blast a stiffe gale so are there in the Spirit One thing to receive the Spirit as on Easter-day another as on Whit-sunday Then but a breath now a mighty wind Ioh 20.22 Ezek. 20.46 Ioel 2.28 then but received it now filled with it Sprinkled before as with a few dropps Ezekiel's stillabo Spiritum but now comes Ioel's Effundam spiritum which very text is alleaged at the XXVIII verse after by S. Peter powred out plenteously and they baptized that is plunged in it Imbuti Spiritu covered with some part of it so were they before heer now they be induti Spiritu clothed all over with power from above as CHRIST promised Luke XXIV XLIX To conclude the HOLY GHOST came heer saith Leo â—umulans non inchoans nec novus opere sed dives laâ—gitate rather by way of augmenting the old then beginning a new Though to say the truth both wayes He came heer The rule of the Fathers is Hierome and Cyrill have it where the HOLY GHOST was before and is said to come againe it is to be understood one of these two wayes 1 Either of an increase of the former which before was had 2 or of some new not had before but sent now for some new effect Breath they had before breath and wind are both of one kind differ onely secundùm magis minùs to be filled is but to receive onely in a greater measure therefore greater because their worke was now greater Before but to the lost sheep of Israël Mat. 10.6 Ioh. 16.16 now to all the stray sheepe in all the mountaines of the whole earth But beside that increase heer is a new forme too Which is a signe of a new gift utterly wanting in them before and wherewith now and never till now they were furnished to speake to all nations of all tongues under heaven Thus farre compared with themselves â— Repleti sunt illi with reference to others Now repleti sunt illi Illi with reference to others since and if you will to our selves They in the succeeding ages and we to this day receive the Spirit too or els it is wrong with us But both they before us short of the Apostles and we short of them by much It fareth heerin as it doth in the powring forth of an ointment the Psalme so likeneth it Psal. 133.2 No ointment at the skirts or edges of a garment doth runne so fresh and full as on the head and beard where it was first shed ever the further it goeth the thinner and thinner the streames be Therefore it is sayd Repleti sunt illi and even illi wants not his force they were filled they We but a Hin to their Epha but an handfull to their heape but a rantisme to their Baptisme They filled had as much as they could hold We have our measure such as it is but full we are not None of us so full but we could hold more 1 Reason And two reasons there are rendred 1 One such a Pentecost as this never was but this never the like before nor since It was CHRIST 's Coronation day the day of placing Him in His throne Psal. 68.18 Ephes. 4.8
did not hinder him that of a diverse Nation so neither did this that of a diverse and that of a false Religion For though he were of a diverse Religion from the King yet was he of GOD 's true Religion that teacheth men to be true to their Prince Be he Iew or be he Gentile Assyrian Persian or what he will Be he a right worshipper or be he an Idolater Be his Nation or be his Religion what it will be Though the King be as Assuerus a Pagan though they be as Mardochai the onely true Church and people of GOD to be true to him though But none of that Religion that is fast to the Catholique loose to the Haeretique If it be Iosias ô then stay your hand but if Assuerus if Ethnicus or quasi if excommunicate then set Bigthan and his hands freer to seeke and to find and to lay them on a spare not This Religion was none of Mardochai's nor let it not be eny of yours witnesse this act of his a holy and good act For which though not presently yet not long after he was highly rewarded by the King and for which he is sett heere his name and his act both among the Righteous to be had in everlasting remembrance Of the traine now a word I said I would tell you what they sought what they found The Traine What Bigthan and Tharez sought and found That they sought they found not Not that but pirie it is but they should finde somewhat seeking as they did and so they did They found somewhat instead of it which 〈◊〉 been better lost then found they found a halter scarse worth the finding they found their owne perdition and the worst kind of it perditio tua ex te themselves the authors of it Ex ore tuo by that which came from themselves Osee. 13.9 Luk. 19.22 out of their owne mouthes the Divell 's quaerite invenietis right And will you see how fitly every thing fell out They sought and they were sought into quaesitum est They sought and found not they were sought into and found They were wroth with the King and GOD with them the heavy wrath of GOD was upon them They would have layed hands on the King hands were laid on them for it up the jebitt they went and of they went and the world was well ridd of a couple of traitors Before they could finde they were found themselves and their fact â—ound the Law was not to seeke that was found and founded long before A law that now hath received the approbation from GOD and so now a right Persian law Dan. 6 15. 〈◊〉 to be altered III. The solemne Recording of this Have we done not yet this must be entred first written Nay written over twise a Duplicate of it 1 Written first in the Chronicles And that before the King of such importance the King thought it 2 And then this writing heere of the King is heer written over againe a new order from GOD. So two Constat's One in the King's Chronicles the other in GOD 's Canonicall Scripture of this act Two Copies extant one in Rotulis Registri the other in Archivis Ecclesiae One among the King's Records the other in the Churche's Monuments What should this meane Something there is sure in the adding of this clause about the writing it up I know no meaning but that GOD liked well of the writing of it in the King 's that he would have as much done in his own Records Why the King would have it Chronicled is easily seene It was a very memorable event worthy to be set downe there But why GOD Sure He saw these Chronicles would not last so long as His will was this example heere should And indeed they being now lost we had beene little the better if it had beene there onely He made it therefore to be entred into his owne Chronica Chronicarum that never should be lost Well it was it should stand in the Persian Storie while it did last but GOD for failing provided further to have a memorandum of it in His own Sacred storie that last as long as the world should last That that is there is ad perpetuam rei memoriam indeed Another reason Being in these Chronicles it would have spred no further then Persia or the hundred twentie seven provinces at the furthest GOD 's eye looked further that not Persians onely but Iewes Nor both those but Christians too Not the hundred twentie seven provinces alone but all the provinces in the earth should take notice of it I speake with the Apostle 1. Cor. 9.9 Hath God a care of Persia either writt He not this for our sakes Yes for our sakes no doubt He wrote it that we also might be the better for it The better two waies 1 First to know GOD 's censure of both these in diebus illis for the present The due praise of him by whom the deliverie The just condemning of them by whom the danger that none that so seeke shall be saved by His booke For that we see heere brings them to the gallowes and there leaves them 2 Or rather there leaves them not but by this Scriptum est setts up their quarters there to stand and be seene by all that looke in it to the world's end And this is worse then hanging yea in chaines for the carcasses of those in time will consume and drop away and come to nothing so shall these never but remaine as fresh still as the first day they were set up to all generations to come It is that that grieveth the noble generous nature I dare say more then the execution it selfe there to hang upon the file in Bigthan and Tharez's infamous blacke roll their names to be read there for ever But this was written also for them that come after and a double use there is of it that way As the parties and their facts be good or bad that there are registred If bad then as in the seventie eight Psalme Ne sint sicut Psal. 78.8 not to be like this Bigthan and Tharez Ne sint sicut not to be like them in their wicked attempt Ne sint sicut that they be not like them in their wretched end Not like them but like Mardochai A sint sicut there that comming to the notice of so wicked a designe took himselfe bound in conscience to detect it yea though it were against a stranger to him in nation a more stranger in Religion to him yet to do it Exod. 25.40 Luk. 16.37 Heer Inspice fac saith God in his Law Vade tu fac simile saith CHRIST in his Gospell In a word this was written to the end to tie up all hands from seeking as they did And to open all mouthes to disclose as he did To make men loyall to their Princes though heathen idolaters such as Assuerus And if this were the end if eny shall
Lords of their Auditor's faith I know not what it is but onely on condition that the sense they now give be not a feigned sense as S. Peter termeâ—h it but such a one as hath been before given bâ— our faâ—hers and fore-runners in the Christian faith Say I this of my selâ—e saith the Apostle saith not the Lawe so too Give I this sense of mine owne head haâ—h â—ot CHRIST 's Church heretofore given the like Which onâ—â—o 〈◊〉 iâ— it were streightly holden would ridd our Church of many sâ—nd imaginations which now are stamped daily because every man upon his owne single bond is trusted to deliver the meaning of any Scâ—iptuâ—e which is many times nought else but his owne imagination This is the disease of our Age. Not the Pharisee's addition which is well left but as bad as it the Philosopher's glosse which too much aboundeth And I see no way but this to helpe it 2. From within by Christians Imaginations from the Christians Secondly from among the Christians themselves arose men speaking perverse things whom S. Paul well calleth fratres subintroductos Gal. 2.4 Who also by their imaginations mainly corrupted the Apostle's Doctrine which we heretofore divided into the 1 Matter in which 1 The Substance and therein 1 the foundation 2 the Building upon it 2 The Caeremonie 2 Mâ—nner Concerning all which imaginations have risen 1. In the matter and substance Imaginations touching the foundations Which are two so called by the name oâ— foundations a Touching the foundation Heb. 6.2 Mar. 1.15 Act. 10.20 1. Repentance Act. 6. first laid by our SAVIOVR CHRIST and after kept by the Apostles Even 1 Repentance and 2 Faith Imaginations touching Repentance Nicolas one of the seaven as Eusebius testifieth became a man of imaginations and began the sect of the Nicolaiâ—ans * Apoc. 2.15 whom GOD hateth After whom arose Carpocrates in the same of whom came the sect of the Gnostiques A Sect that blew up that part of the foundation which is called Repentance from dead works For as Epiphanius testifieth they held that all other things besides faith were indifferent Repentance and all And that so a man knew and imbraced certaine dictates and positions they would deliver him live how he list he could not choose but be saved And of these high points of knowledge they entituled themselves Gnostiques that is men of knowledge And all other Christians that could not talke like them Simplices good simple soules Such is the imagination in our daies of carnall Gospellers That so he forgett not his Creed he cannot miscarrie These be the Gnostiques of our age Imaginations touching faith On the other side against the other part of the foundation faith Tatianus a Christian and a great learned man cast his Mâ—ne of whom was the sect of the Encratites who offended at the licentious lives of the Gnostiques fell into the other extreme that Non est cur andum quid quisque credat id tantùm cur andum est quid quisque faciat that the Creed might be cancelled well enough for an upright and streight course of life GOD onely regarded And in every Sect a man might be saved that lived well These for their sober and temperate kind of life termed themselves Encratites that is strict livers and all other Christians that lived not in like austerity Psychicos that is carnall men Such is in our daies the imagination of the Civill Christian who so his conversation be blamelesse and honest careth not for Religion and Faith at all but for the most part lives and dies in brutish ignorance We may call these the Encratites of our Age. Imaginations touching the building b Touching the Building A secondary part of the Apostle's Doctrine and not of like necessity with the former Epiphanius writeth Haeresi 61. There were a sect a branch of the old Cathari or Puritanes as he saith which called themselves Apostolici propter exactum disciplinae studium c. For an extraordinarie desire they had above other men to have discipline and all things to the exact patterne of the Apostle's dayes which is it selfe an imagination For it were cacozelia an apish imitation to reteine all in use then seeing diverse things even then were but temporaria For beside their Canon Gal. 6.16 in matters of knowledge they had their dogmata or decreta not of aequall importance as was that of eating things strangled and blood Act 16.4 which no man now thinketh himselfe bound to absteine from And besides their Epitaxes commandements in matter of practise they had their Diataxes Injunctions not of aequall regard with the former Such were their Agapae love-feasts after the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.10 Iud. 12. 1. Cor. 11 20. and their celebrating the Sacrament after Supper which no Church at this day doth imitate Therfore to presse all that was in that time is an imagination And as to presse all so of these things that remaine to presse all alike or thinke an aequall necessity of them which was a parcell of the imagination of the Donatists For some things the Apostles peremptorily commanded Some things they had no commandement for 1. Cor. 7.10 1. Cor 7.25 1. Tim. 4.11.6.2 but onely gave counsaile Some things they commanded and taught somethings they taught and exhorted whereof each was to be esteemed in his owne value and worthinesse Neither to dispense with the commandement nor to make a mater of necessitie of the Counsaile Both which have not a little harmed the Church Lastly to these matters of Counsaile which for the most part are things indifferent they also fall upon two imaginations 1. Some say Omnia mihi licent 1. Cor. 10.23 and so it be not condemned as unlawfull make no bones of it Col. 24.21 which tendeth to all prophanenesse Others say Touch not Taste not Handle not which speak of things indifferent as meerely unlawfull 1. Cor. 7.35 which imagination ends in superstition A meane way would be holden betweene them both that neither a snare be cast on mens consciences Gal. 5.13 by turning Non expedit into Non licet nor our libertie in CHRIST be made an occasion to the flesh by casting Non expedit out of dores For the Spirit of CHRIST is the spirit of ingenuitie which will freely submit it selfe to that which is expedient even in things of their owne nature lawfull The not observing whereof with good heed and discretion hath in old time filled the world with many a superstitious imagination and in our daies hath healed the imagination and superstition and hypocrisie with another of riot and licentious libertie as bad as the former yea a great deale worse 2. Imaginations in the caeremonie Imaginations touching the caeremonie First I take it to be a phansie to imagine there needs none for without them neither comelinesse nor orderly uniformity 1. Co. 11.13 will be in the Church Women will pray uncovered