DIVISION DIVIDED OR Ruines fore-runner DISCOVERED and DECYPHERED In a Sermon before the Right Honourable and the Right Worshipfull the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London Preached on the Lords-day September 20. 1646. in Pauls Church London By one that wisheth well unto and daily prayeth for Unity and Uniformity in these three Kingdomes Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speake one thing and that there bee no dissentions among you but bee yee knit together in one minde and in one judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 Infaelix populus Dei non potest in bono tantam habere concordiam quantam mali habent in malo Hier. in Ps Neque enim Civitas in seditione potest esse beata nec in discordia dominorum domus quâ— minus animus a seipso dissidens secumque discordans gustare partem ullam liquidae voluptatis liberae poâ—est Atque pugnantibus contrariis studiis consiliisque semper utens nihil quiete videre nihil tranquille potest Cicero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed for Andrew Crooke at the Green Dragon in Pauls-church-yard 1646. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE A True patterne of the old and good Way of Pietie and Charity and a cordiall Patron of Truth in these unsteady and giddy Times THOMAS ADAMS NOW Lord Major of this famous City of London all blest establishments in all the wayes to Grace and Glory My Lord YOu have made that saying true which heretofore was spoken Amicus Plato and Amicus Socrates but amicissima Veritas I love Plato wel and Socrates too but Truth better than either of them yea than both of them The hearts of Gods people blesse you and God for you and we hope your zeale for Truth against every opposite Error shall still provoke many Confes lib. 12. Veritatem celare est aurum sepelire To conceale Truth is as to bury gold saith Austin And Bernard convincingly Si propter timorem mortis tacere Veritatem impietas est quomodo non est major impietas propter miserum ventrem honoris vani spem tacere Veritatem Videtur meliorem facere gratiam panis honoris Bernard quam gloriam Veritatis If for the feare of death to conceale a Truth be sin and wickednesse ô what a sin is it for the bellies-sake or some such sinister end to dissemble it Truth in 1 Petition 2 Presence 3 Possession My Lord Inquisitio Veritatis est ejus petitio scientia Veritatis est ejus praesentia sed creditio Veritatis est ejus possessio Truth when sought after is excellent when found and knowne it is yet more lovely but when beleeved and practised too it becomes ours in possession Faith what And indeed what is Faith but I beleeve that is I understand and conceive of it for a truth I assent unto it in my Judgement to bee a truth I consent unto it in my will as good and build mine eternall comfort on it as good for mee this act of beliefe carries the whole soule with it It is pleasant to stand upon the shore and see the Ships tossed in the troubled Ocean to stand upon a Castle safe and see a pitch'd Battaile fought in the variety and successe thereof to stand upon a rock and see so it bee with pity and without pride the Errors wandrings mists clouds and stormes which are below in the valley of this world Your Lordship hath like a stable Christian stood fast in God and in the power of his might while you have seen many too many tossed to and fro with the wind of every Doctrine Doubtlesse every godly Movet mens pia in charitate quiescit in providentia non vertit denique nisi super polâ—s veritatis truly godly mind moves in charity rests in providence and doth not turne but upon the poles of Truth while the portion of wicked men will bee that they deceive and are deceived Mixtures of falshood Simile I may fitly resemble them to that allay which is in gold silver or pewter it may indeed make the met all worke somewhat the better but it abasâ—th it much even so our notionall mixtures may indeed in preaching presse c. make things take the better among giddy heads but they abase Divinity and render men delighting therein too full of levity and emptinesse Gods attire if hee did dwell among men It was wont to bee said of our Learned Criticks That if God himself were to dwell in humane shape amongst men hee would take light for his body and truth for his soul This City hath been exceedingly honoured in sending out Champions to fight for Truth abroad wherein with what gallantry and successe our Londoners have behaved themselves Chronicles will not conceale in after times and there are yet private Anniversaries of thankefull remembrances for Newbery The 20 of September that day this Sermon was Preached c. And it will bee no little Fame to this City also to have it recorded that in the time of such a one and such a one severall Lord Majors of London successively Heresies Schismes Sectaries were suppressed or at least not so countenanced as that the tares overgrew the wheate in Gods Field Salvian Dum mali esse volunt Veritatem esse nolunt qua mali condemnantur but let Truth prevaile and let it be glorious Of all pieces of our Spirituall armour Truth is resembled unto a girdle Ephes 6. for indeed Truth should incompasse us about Truth fourefold And a fourfold Truth scil of judgment heart speech action is required of every Christian My Lord the Lord of Lords take a double portion of the Spirit of Paul and put it on you and on all them that shall succeed you that you may withstand them to the face which goe not with a right foot unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ Non bene vivitur Holy life what and how ubi non bene de Deo creditur Aug. A holy life is indeed nothing else but the infusion of holy truths The Spirit opening generall truths to a Christian hath another worke also and that is to reveale our particular interest in those truths and to breed speciall faith whereby wee may make them our owne that so where sacred truths are truly apprehended there may be an impression in the soule suitable to the things believed The Lord make our believing of God Almighty to bread an impression of dependence reverence c. Some dispute of Faith some preach it some sweare by it but few live thereby the belief and knowledge of Christ crucified to bee a crucifying knowledge of Christ rising a raising knowledge of Christ abased an abasing knowledge to our soules and so of all truths else whatsoever The good Prince George Anhalt who in Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospel intending to comfort his brother Prince John raiseth strong consolations for
him from the last three Articles of the Creed Remission of sinnes resurrection of the body Comfort in trouble what and how and life everlasting There is one Article before these three and that is the Communion of Saints which we beleeve too but finde as little influence from in these our dayes as from any truth that ever our Lord Christ left us and reason I know none thereof but that there is so much of that knowledge which puffeth up and so little of that love that edifieth Hee that strives for Error strives for Satan against God A holy strise he that strives for victory strives for himself against other men but hee that strives for truth against errour helps the Lord against Gods enemy and his too namely Satan the Father of lies And this specially Bonum benè God loves Adverbes better than Adjectives if withall hee handle Gods cause according unto God A man shews most knowledge and understanding in the matter of truth but most grace in the manner of handling of it with reverence holinesse and modesty Your Lordship hath so behaved your self in your Yeare that I doubt not but it will turne to your accompt before God and amongst us your Name shall be as an Oyntment poured forth Jesus Christ blesse you more and more with sin's decreases and graces increases that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing So prayeth Your Lordships that loves you for loving Truth Walter Bridges TO THE FOVRE ESQVIRES FOR THE Service of this Honourable CITY William Gunthrop Sword-bearer John Clutton Common-Hunt Henry Hodges Common-Cryer Edward Peerse Water-bayliffe Grace and Peace with light and truth in the Lord Jesus Christ YOur last Lord and Master Gentlemen O many such more may you serve in that place and you are not such men as some are there is a rule among the Romanists and it is this Wee are bound to the obedience of the Pope when hee ordaines a Holy Day but wee are not bound to doe against our consciences How shall this now bee reconciled For the Pope may happily command that which I cannot in conscience doe The Roman Doctors reconcile it easily and it is thus Make the word and will of the Pope the rule of your obedience and then it is enough O slavery of all slaveries for any poore soule to lye under Your Lord and you love inlargements not to take any thing upon trust which doth concern your souls for eternity but to bee perswaded in your owne mindes and to have your senses exercised to discerne good and evil your Lord and you together made it your requests that this poore word of exhortation might passe from the Pulpit to the Presse it hath done so now through the good hand of God and here you have it if it helpe you in any thing one good turne deserves another do you helpe him with your prayers who is Your loving Friend and Servant in such workes as these WALTER BRIDGES DIVISION DIVIDED OR RVINES FORE-RVNNER Discovered and Disciphered The TEXT Every Kingdome divided against it self shall be brought to desolation and every City or house divided against it self shall not stand Mat. 12.25 THis is such a piece of Gods truth as being spoken by Christ himselfe ought much to be regarded the occasion thereof very easily gathered out of the Context and as to that or to the Text with reference to the Context I shall have nothing to say I shall looke on the Text with reference to our times rather and labour to hold forth therehence unto this Honorable and grave Assembly such truth as is Land Church and Common-wealth concerning Calvin's note is excellent and too true Right Honourable and wel-beloved Est kic Divini verbi quasi quidam genius ut nunquam emergat quieto et dormiente Satana Cal. Praes ad Reg. Gall. that though while men slept the envious man tooke his time to sow tares yet men never can take a time to wake and watch to preach truth while Satan is asleep Origen once being to preach on that place of the Psalmist Vnto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Name into thy mouth c. seeing thou hatest to be reformed wept over the Text in stead of Preaching upon it It is Pareus his observation upon that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speake the same thing and that there bee no divisions among you but that yee bee perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement Pareus I say marks that the Apostle being to cure division◠Huic morbo exulceratissimo primum malagmata quaedam adhibet Par. ad loc to this disease saith hee Paul first applyes Playsters and Poultesses to ripen it and draw it to maturation before hee cut or make incision our disunions disjoyntings disaffections and dissensions are very great very unreasonable very unseasonable tongue-disagreement and pen-disagreement I yet hope God will keep us from discord for that sounds harsh and is not till hearts bee broken asunder from which God deliver us I would not have that said of Christians which had wont to bee said of Chronologers Chronologi non magis congruunt quam Horologia Victorin Strigel Proleg in Chron. Melancth the Chronologers agree like clocks scarce two of one minde throughout It would bee our advancement in the eyes of God and good men to advance unity and one-mindednesse lest it bee said of us and truly too that Demades the Oratour said of the Athenians in Plutarch that they never sate upon Treaties of Peace but in black and mourning garments when they had paid before too deare for their divisions Vis unita fortior hath hitherto gone for a good Proverbe and indeed if wee have a fancy of crossing such Proverbes it may prove to our ruine God because he is Ens simplicissimum a most simple and undivided being is therefore Ens fortissimum inexpugnabile a most strong and impregnable being and surely if wee hold together amongst our selves it will bee more hard to harme us what is the destruction of a man but the division of the body and the soule as long as they two hold together the man is not destroyed so is it also and will bee found to bee amongst us Besides that glorious light shining forth of Gods Word whereunto they doe well that take heed as to a light shining in a darke place such as that Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren marke them which cause division 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 1 Cor. 3.3 For yee are yet carnall for whereas there are among you envyings and strife and divisions are yee not carnall and walk as men Besides these such as these Scriptures the very light of nature and men guided by no better Principles will rise up in judgement against men that call themselves Christians and yet love divisions Aristotle in
God they were never troubled in all their lives ubi non hoc bellum ibi pax diabolica saith Saint Austin Where there is not this warre there 's a devilish peace How happy was Paul in his smiting to the ground his blindnesse distresse of Conscience prayer and the like you know the story Act 9. the excellency of godly sorrow and the effects therof 2 Cor. 7.11 are set forth unto us if we would hearken to Gods holy word as in the body so in the soule there is but the wound and the medicine in the body and but the sinne and the sorrow in the soule no more to be regarded 1. Chrysostome's resolution concerning sweaâ—ing Some zealous man for God must doe as heretofore Chrysostome did when he was to preach to the Athenians it seems they were a people much given to swearing and he protests that untill they leave their swearing he will never leave preaching against it even so would I have the Ministers of God to resolve never to leave preaching against false bottomes till our people be setled upon a true one and our falfe bottomes are not a few whereon men settle themselves Mat. 7.23 and then will I professe unto them I never knew you False bottomes Depart from mee all yee that worke iniquity profession without practise the mistaking of the meanes of grace and holinesse for grace and holinesse it selfe Selfe-love and thinking our selves to be something when we are nothing formality and meere out-sidenesse in Religion opus operatum and the serving of God with an action done these are the things which breed so many miscariages amongst us 2. Fundamentals But how shall this worke be done No other way but by preaching and pressing the fundamentals Such texts as that Mat. 18.3 except yee be converted yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Verily verily I say unto thee except thou be regenerate and borne againe thou canst not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Iohn 3. Such texts I say as these are they must be preach'd opened and applied The Fathers tell us in good earnest that they did never beleeve another man had need to be converted untill they were converted themselves this is downe-right dealing I like it very well and it remembers me of what Lactantius saith Were there saith he but 7 wise men in Greece If but 7 wise men in Greece none at all no but 7 onely why then there was none there must be some more wise men to judge of their wisedome otherwise a wise man is not a wise man in the judgement of a foole Wise men thinke that Religion is exceedingly decaying in England because a yong Hipocrite makes an old Atheist sure and there are now so many of the first that in the next Century we thinke there will be not a few of the last our God provide for his people The great Prophet alwayes preached a way He that preaches not a way preaches nothing and so must the lesser doe it is dangerous to presuppose a people to be Saints and holy and so to preach unto them it were better to teach them how to be so and to try whether they be so or no. Better I say I thinke to aske our Saviours question whom doe you say that I am 2 Questions Mat. 16.15 then to aske that question Acts 19.2 Have you received the Holy Ghost since you beleeved let the godly wise consider it and they that have the worke of the harvest in their hands Not a few I beleeve in this great City puffed up with their perswasion of themselves and others of them if they should come to cleare dealing withall must say that they had need to be instructed in the doctrine of Faith Baptisme and the Holy Ghost too Well the Scripture speakes of a good conscience Acts 23.1 of a cleare conscience Acts 29.16 of a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 of a purged conscience Heb. 9.14 of an evill conscience Heb. 10.22 of a weake conscience 1 Cor. 8.12 and of a seared conscience 1 Cor. 4.2 which of these now is thy conscience it behoveth thee to take notice of And take this with thee whosoever thou art 1 Ad sui preservationem 2 Ad preservationem universi I never heard a description of vertue that pleased me better then that Brevis et vera definitio virtutis est ordo amoris Aug. vertue is nothing else and grace too but the very ordering of our love take heed of a heart and conscience loving divisions which God hateth The Philosophers say there is a twofold motion in naturall things one whereby they move unto the preservation of themselves and another whereby they move unto the preservation of the whole universe Water naturally moves downe-ward neverthelesse for the generall good it will move upwards rather then faile so should Religion and good conscience doe move to our private good so as that withall we remember that we serve our generation and be usefull also It is an ill spirit and a worse conscience that hath so much minde of its owne things that it regards not the things of the Lord Jesus Christ Use 6 The 6. use teacheth us Gods course of convincing men Course of convincing men How to convince I say a work of the Holy Ghost a work which is sometimes as immediately going before conversion as the morning before the day as in those Act. 2.37 they were pricked in their hearts and they said men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved and in all the such like instances wheresoever For of this let men be well assured that whensoever God doth clearly reveale himself to the soule Marks of a man rightly convinced He presently worketh this great work of conviction and in this order 1. God maketh a man to beleeve his misery by sin and to be much troubled for it 2. He consulteth in this case what to doe and is much troubled about it 3. He is exceedingly broken in heart and humbled to the dust 4. Above all things in the world he desireth forgivenesse of those sins which with a free heart he now confesseth 5. He forsaketh all for the assurance of that pardon and highly prizeth it yea all things drosse and dung in comparison of it 6. He applyeth Christ and his promise lives therein groaning after all excellencies effects and evidences of pardon In this order holy Scripture sets forth conviction to be wrought But yet further it may be marked that 1. Gods worke sometimes Conviction is indeed the work of the great God and of him alone he is the heart-opener Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Act. 16.14 For it is not the willer nor the runner but God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.15 16. of old the Lord had these wayes to convince his people 1. There were Philosophers Prophets or Poets and Orators and Wisemen of whom what vice was it
his fift Booke of a Common-wealth and sixt Chapter layes down this as an infallible rule Imbellum est quod discordat that which disagrees with it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de Rep. l 5. c. 6. and is disconcordant must needs be weake But I come to the Text wherein I observe First the subject here spoken of and that is a Kingdome a City an house a threefold subject is here spoken of Secondly the adjunct which serves to expresse our Lords meaning and the Doctrines concernment which is every Kingdome City House it is true in all that our Lord saith of any Thirdly the predicate or that which is spoken of every of these subjects which is both 1. Affirmative shall be brought to desolation 2. Negative also shall not stand Fourthly the condition annexed if divided against it self Every King some divided against it selfe shall bee desolate and every City or House divided against it selfe shall not stand Then I come to the first part of the exposition First for the concernment of this Doctrine 1 The concernment it belongeth it seemes unto our Kingdome in generall unto our City in particular yea and unto our very houses our habitations where wee live a Doctrine doubtlesse well-besitting the eares of such an Honourable such a Worshipfull Auditory Quintilian Modus orationis Auditor est was wont to bee the old rule speake to thy hearers profit or say nothing If men are not pro ara diminica yet their hara domestica I know will move them the Kingdom your City your Houses all is here concerned Lutherus me alloquitur quasi me intra erat It had wont to bee said of Luther that hee spake to his hearers as if he had been within them I shall not study ourious words a consciencious discovery yea a cordiall reproofe is farre better and I am of Chrysostomes minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new wayes are no wayes When Aristippus was asked what it would profit ones sonne if his Father should give him Learning why saith hee if for nothing else yet herein it will advantage him that when hee comes to the Theater hee shall sit not like one stone upon another If this Doctrine will serve for nothing else yet this it will serve for to warne you yee Senators of London that yee be not such of whom mine Author sayes they had rather perish in a common calamity Pateroulus ut Publica ruina quisque malit quam sua proteri et idem passurus minime conspici 2 The Objection then in a private misery that their destruction may be hidden in the publique ruine Secondly If any lazie objection shall bee awakened here from negligent ones and those which are secure of which sort we have our thousands and ten thousands in this City If any such shall say unto me what is this to mee I doe not trouble mine head with your divisions preach mee Jesus Christ I take no care for any thing else I Answer The men of Laish that lived securely are risen againe in our times Rev. 18.7 8. It was Babylons voyce Rev. 18.7 8. I sit as a queene and am no widow I shall see no mourning and shee speakes this so loud and so long till at length in the next verse God sayes to her As is the Preacher so is the peace alwayes Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and sorrow c. Therefore wherefore as is the peace so alwayes is the Preacher thereof when they say peace 1 Thes 5.3 When who sayes so wicked men when they Preach a wicked peace the just God even then holds himselfe ingaged to bee against both the Peace and Preacher And your Covenant with death shall bee disanulled and your agreement with Hell shall not stand when a scourge shall run over and passe through the Land then shall yee bee trod downe thereby Esa 28.18 That word of Paul comes like thunder from Heaven and it is such language as I desire to speake to such men Bountifulnesse towards thee if thou continue in Gods bountifulnesse or else even thou also shall be cut off Rom. 11.22 I would have the Citizens of London doe as the Citizens of Nineveh did at such a message Jonah 3.6 When the King and Nobles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and others saw the word of God not heard it onely for so the Originall expresseth it Luke 2â—15 see the gradation or rather the descension yea condescension 1. The word came like lightning 2. To the King not to the inferior onely 3. Hee arose as if hee felt his seat shake under him 4. Cast off his Robe as if it had beene a burthen 5. Covered himselfe with Sackcloth as a corps made ready for the burial 6. And sate down not among violets flowers c. but in the ashes the word of God if it have power to worke repentance that repentance will have power to worke pardon at last But thirdly 3 The Obligat What obligation find you in the Text to tye us to all this 1. The lesser obligation the Kingdome City 1 Lesser or house so divided shall not stand when Israel could not stand before her enemies Josh 7.8 that Governour presently breakes out into this expression O Lord what shall I say when Israel turne their backs before their enemies The Kingdome City or house divided shall not stand they shall bee as Ireland let our Governours then doe as hee did 2. But then the greater they shall bee desolate bee as Germany 2 Greater where there hath been neither earing nor seed-time this Twenty yeares and upwards for body nor for soule When Christ foretells the ruine of Jerusalem it is in such termes as these Verily I say unto you there shall not bee here left a stone upon a stone which shall not bee cast downe Mat. 24.2 such such a desolation it will be that followes division hard at heeles Fourthly then marke that if in my Text 4 The Condition If it bee divided if it if another thing if any thing if thou bee divided against thy selfe thou shalt not stand thou shalt bee brought to desolation For a double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes I am 1.8 Now this I would have inlarged and understood 1. Implicitly if a Kingdome City 1 Implicitly or house bee divided against others there may bee misery enough the sword will soone pierce unto the heart Jerem. 4.10 Then the horseman lifteth the bright sword and the glittering speare a multitude is slaine yea the dead bodies are many and they stumble at their corpses Nahum 3.3 England can now tell and Ireland too sad stories and then wee were divided against others onely against men which though they were amongst us were not of us But 2. Explicitely if divided against it selfe 2. Explicitly Divines use to say there is one word in a Text which is alwayes to bee marked This same word selfe The Kingdome
divided against it selfe the City and the house against it self occasions us to inquire further for a further exposition and to make search into the second part of this exposition 1. What is the Self of a Kingdome City house Common-wealth or person To which I answer First generally thus by Deut. 4. â— 6. Behold I have taught you Ordinances and Lawes Selfe whatâ— 1 Generally as the Lord my God commanded mee that yee should doe even so within the Land whither yee goe to possesse it Keepe them therefore and doe them for that is your wisdome and your understanding c. Or by that of Solomon Eccles 12.13 Feare God and keepe his Commandenients For hoc est totum hominis this is the selfe the soule the all of man and what Kingdom City or house soever is divided against this is divided against it self and will bee desolate Secondly 2 Particularly 1 Kingdom self but particularly 1. The Selfe of a Kingdome is the Religion of that Kingdome from which whosoever is divided he is separate from God and God from him and God will make him to know at one time or other that there is a God whom hee hath not served At the beginning of their dwelling there they served not God therefore the Lord sent Lyons amongst them which slew them saith the History 2 Kings 17.25 If my people which is called by my name humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes then I will forgive their sinnes and will heale their Land Religion you see is the onely misery-diverting and mercy-procuring thing in a Land or Nation Secondly 2 Common-wealth self the Selfe of a Common-wealth is the Law thereof the Law is the common Surety betweene the Governours and the governed surety from the King to mee that I shall enjoy my protection and surety for mee to him that I shall pay my tribute Noâ—heire of restraint and doe mine homage Over and over againe in that History it is recorded In those dayes there was no King in Israel and every man did that which was right in his owne eyes Judg. 20.25 Now a Kingdome or Common-wealth divided against this Selfe also will bee desolate Thirdly 3 Church self the selfe of the Church is Doctrine and Discipline which like the body and soule must not bee divided Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David how hee was crucified according to my Gospel 2 Tim. 2.8 This is that foundation other than which no man can lay 1 Cor. 3.11 the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles whereon wee must be built whilst Iesus Christ himselfe is laid for the cheif corner Stone This Iesus Christ who made a whip of cords and drave out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple which was a peece of Discipline while hee was preaching heavenly doctrine to them gave also the keyes unto Peter Mat. 16. and Paul puts the power of them in execution 1 Cor. 5.45 and writeth to the Colossians thus Though I bee absent in the body yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order and your stedfast faith in Christ Col. 2.5 4. The self of a family is the Peace of that family Peace I say 4 Family self the Religious peace while the family is reconciled to God for then they know that peace is upon their Tabernacle that is they are assured thereof then they visite their Habitation and doe not sinne Iob. 5.24 and the mutuall peace betweene the severall members thereof maintained by commanding and obeying the man dwels with his wife and family like a man of knowledge 1 Pet. 3.7 the wife also knowes that she is not permitted to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to bee in silence 1 Tim. 2.12 this is a selfe against which it will be found very dangerous to be divided 5. There is a selfe of a mans selfe 5 Self of selse and that is good conscience good I say tender and wel-informed conscience not accusing when it should excuse nor on the contrary excusing when grosse faults are committed Conscience perswaded of the nobility and necessity too of Religion Quas non opertet mortes praecligere quod non suppliciwn potius ferre imo in quam profundam inferni abyssum introire quam contra conserentiam attestari Zuing. Epist 3. such a Conscience as the godly Minister writes of saying O what deaths would not a man first choose what punishment would not a man a godly man undergoe even the very bottome of hell it self before he would doe any thing against conscience I proceed to the further exposition the third Part thereof Shall they be brought to desolation indeed if divided is our Lord in good earnest and shall this come to passe I answer the meaning is 1. So it happens to be probably and very often 2. Yea and more than so so it will be certainly 3 Part of Exposition and without all doubt unlesse such divisions as have been or are in Kingdom City or house be confessed repented of and forsaken For so are the two standing rules which God gives one is Jerem. 18.7 8. 2 Rules At what instant I shall speake concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them The other is Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinne shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy If our divisions continue in Kingdome City House they be of sad presage what ever men thinke Here now with reference to the Text and Context let mee conclude something doctrinally by way of observation First Observations A Kingdome divided amongst themselves against themselves is worse in that regard than the Devils Kingdome Satans Kingdome is not so Secondly The Favorers and Fomenters of such discord are shall I say Devils or worse the Fiends seeke the peace of their owne kingdome Thirdly The Devils doe agree that they may doe evill but wee cannot agree that wee may doe good and receive good too namely that we may settle peace truth in our borders and when wee have done sit downe and eat the fruit thereof Suidas writes that there was a family at Corinth Ventisopii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that could lay the winds and that that family was in very great esteeme among all but especially the sea men had therefore a name given them Ventisopii That storme of sad division hanging over our heads His hand surely must be in the calming thereof of whom it was said that both the winde and waters did obey him Mat. 8.27 But I proceed 4 Part of Exposition what and aske againe in the fourth part of the exposition Whether the divisions of a Kingdome City or house bee all alike or all alike dangerous and presaging
1 Mediorum 2 Morum 3 Mentium abnegatio 1. Mediorum the means allowed by others a right Christian will not use the meanes lawfull enough thereby to bring unlawfull purposes to passe 2. Morum self-denyall in the manners allowed by others what other men think may be spoken done c. he dare not that is a right Christian meddle in 3. Mentium self-denyall in the mind the very mind which the men of the world have the same minde is in them which was also in Christ Iesus Phil. 2.5 Who made himself of no reputation but tooke upon him the forme of a servant Such a sweet temper of heart such an aptnesse and readinesse to deny and forsake what 's most deare unto us for Iesus Christ and for his Gospels sake this is it 1. Whose voice speakes thus to God and the world I am ready to be bound and dye Act. 21.13 I account all Things drosse and dung Phil. 3.8 2. The parts of self-denyall are affection and action readinesse in habit and readinesse in act Selves to bee heeded 3. The condition of things stand in competition with God 4. The caution thereof which is that neither affection be destroyed nor obedience c. but reduced into order namely that God bee first and all things after him But for the particulars First 1 Self mysticall I would intreat your to looke unto your selfe mysticall that is I pray you looke to your Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the best of beings and Religion the best of wel-beings He that hath little zeale and lesse courage for godlinesse may in appearance look after many Religions but he will hardly love any Nor doe I presse Religion onely here no nor it reformed though I daily pray that the worke of Reformation may finde as many helpes in the end as it hath found hinderances in the beginning and mid-way But I pray you take heed of your Religion under Esay's notion Religion what in good earnest One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himselfe by the name of Israel Esa 44.5 your subscribed Religion with your hands lifted up to the most High I presse Religion under Pauls notion Acts 10.35 To feare God and worke righteousnesse and under the description of St. James Jam. 1.27 To visit the fatherlesse and widow in their affliction piety and charity going hand in hand 1. 1 In praxei In practise is sacras Scriptures rectè legit qui vertit verba in opera Expositors of Scripture in their bookes we have good store and welcome light but the Lord increase the number of them which expound Scripture not in leaves onely but in lives also turne words into workes 2. In tryall bring Religion to the touch-stone 2 In probation betweene Heaven and Hell there 's this difference in Heaven there 's Light without Heat but in Hell there 's Heat without Light take heed of such religion 3. In influence as the Heavens worke upon our bodies 3 In influentiaâ— so indeed should Religion on our soules with 1. Light Lucis 2. Heat Caloris 3. Motion Motus That is worthy of notice which one said wittily Reprehensio iâ—ipit à modestia cum minoritis Reformatione vero à Majestate cum majoritis Modesty shewes it selfe well in the reprehension of the Minorites but Majesty shewes it selfe better in the reformation of the Majorites I adde some Counsells 1. He that will give God his due in Religion Counsells must be exceeding carefull to make him 1. The object and 2. The appointer of our Worship it is said Revel 9.20 That they worshipped Divels not because they served them but because they followed their suggestions in the devised way of serving God 2. An afflicted estate had need of Religion to sustaine it a prosperous state to perfect it in the end and to moderate in the way because therefore Religion is to God alone and the manifestation of it unto man let men be 1. well grounded in it 2. well resolved of it and 3. very zealous for it what times soever they are wherein we live 3. Things are not therefore comely and orderly because they are done of custome or commanded by authority but are therefore both used and commanded lawfully because they are comely and orderly yet if either Custome commend or Authority command things that are such indeed wise godly and peaceable men should hold themselves even therefore the more bound unto them 4. Church-religion and Chamber-religion towards God he regards not if it be not accompanied in the house and streetes with loving kindnesse and mercy and all goodnesse towards men 5. Some weare Religion for ornament onely that 's naught and of them that have it for use some are led by custome some by admiration of some persons passion guides some appearance others without due examination men had best 1. not leave Religion lightly 2. Not further in any particular then we needs must 3. Not at all in the things which God hath blessed to our spirituall good 6. Disputations in Religion are sometimes needfull but alwaies dangerous because usually they draw the best spirits away from the heart and life into the head and tongue take heed of venturing nothing but words in your voyage to Heaven-ward 7. To love differences with any about Religion is a hatefull thing wantonnesse affectation of singularity contempt ostentation of wit envie at superiours gratifying men with things not meet to be done are usuall companions of such a man 8. Religion hath to doe with these sorts of men most commonly 1. The feeble such as Nicodemus with whom yet how our Saviour dealt is to be seene Joh. 3.3 2. The inconstant such as would know every thing but are unsteady and wavering Eph. 4.14 3. The examining questionists they must be awed with commands of practise Luk. 18.22 23. 4. The Talkeative 5. The Reviling 6. The Presumptuous It was once objected unto Erasmus Est mihi meus admodum catholica sed stomacuri habeo plène Lutheranum 2 Selfe-politicall eating flesh upon a Fish-day that that was not like a Catholike to which he answered presently My minde is very popish and Catholike but my Stomacke is Lutheran cleerely I love no Fish we have such Religious men too many Secondly great care must be taken concerning your selfe Politicall that is to say your fundamentall Lawes and constitutions It is not to no purpose the Mulcts and punishments Goales Gallowes and such things are ordained for hereby evill men are restrained and the good live quietly among those that aue not so if the Warre make Theeves then Peace must helpe to hang them Lex à ligando diciter the Law must binde men vel legendo because men must read them Read them where even in their execution there they are best read When God wrote Lawes his
and we hope in God with the like successe for I begin with the last first preaching against it As for the second difference Our brethrens discovery It was easily blowne over with a faire discovery which mended all when their mindes were once knowne a course which we hope will bee taken in Gods time by our good brethren that jealousies may all bee blowne away and unity shine forth But the third is of most importance The peoples quietnesse that relates to the Reformers and the Reformation too and is of evil consequence some say they give too much to the Parliament some say wee give too little and too many amongst us are like the uncomfortable spies which say this difference will not end without more blood shed I shall impart my minde freely and it is this 1. I dare not but beleeve that the God which brought the Parliament out of the greater will also if our sinnes hinder not bring them out of the lesser difference Faith that wee may once say with Paul He hath delivered us and will deliver us with strength of beleeving comfort 2. Moderation Though it hath been observed that never any people have been earnest for a tolleration but those which have had great and it may be too great power with and influence upon the present Governours yet my councell is that our moderation appeare for feare lest wee spoile some of their prudentialls not yet come to maturity and of which ordinary men are not able to give an accompt with our want of discretion prudence piety prayer things wherein if wee bee obediently and waitingly conversant we act where wee should doe and move orderly in our own spheres For the house Politique in Israel House politick there indeed we read of divisions also and those were either at the time of the setling of the Government or after it was setled or last of all at such time when God for sin of King and people quite took away the Law-giver from between Iudahs feet that he might make away for the birth of the King of kings according to the prophecies of truth which went before of the Lord the Messiah Nothing I see is herein necessary for our marking and some profit Cause but 1. the cause of all these stirres and civill dissensions which I find to be 1. The sinne of the people whom how easily it is to bee perswaded they are not well governed woefull experience tells us thus they rejected Samuel and God in him God himselfe tells them so 1 Sam. 8.7 The sin of the Governours too For if men lifted up to such a top of preferment 2. Then are indeed as Nazianzen phrases it instar Funambulorum like dancers upon ropes all whose safety is in their uprightnesse and they hapned to go awry so that with their sin the people and with the peoples sin the King comes to be smitten then sword and pestilence shewed themselves forth to be Gods servants for to execute his sore displeasure on those that had offended as is to see throughout the History of the Kings and Chronicles of Israel Secondly for the cure Cure we shall apparently find that the sins of the Governours of Israel they were 1. Pride Pride Davids sin in numbring the people 2. Sam. 24. David will see how many hundred thousand he may call himself the king of and the Lord lets him see that he can soon ease him of some of his subjects and cures this distemper by letting a great many thousands fall of the pestilence untill the the same King David come beg that God will spare some of them whom his sin hath spoyled Intrusion 2. Intrusion and usurpation Vzziah's sin hee 'le intrude into an office and destroy an ordinance in Israel a sin which God punished with an earthquake as the Prophets say that speak in his sinne and with divisions then God smote the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts Amos. 6.11 3. Blood the sinne of Manasses blood he filled Ierusalem with innocent blood and the catalogue of his offences stands recorded for posterity to looke upon and dread 2. Chron. 33. Such an affliction God sent this King so sanctified as that he washed away the eternall guilt of blood from his soule but that God may let men see what a sinn blood is there stands a peece of Scripture still as if written with a pen of Iron or the point of a Diamond it is in the 2. Kings 24.4 He filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which the Lord would not pardoâ— that is to say as to the eternall guilt If in these glasses then we see any glimpse of the face of our housepolitick help with your prayers I pray you you that see the danger that it may be prevented 3. Church-house The New Testament best holds forth unto us the divisions of the church house when the Gospell came to be preached and the Church to be established with Governours government then the envious man sowed tares and in both doctrine and practise men shewed themselves of what seed and side they were the woman or the serpent Some held no resurrection at all so the Sadduces some held it was past already some erred one way and some another and men full of faith and the holy Ghost had their miscarriages and went not with a right foot unto the Gospel I am of Paul saith one and I of Apollos saith another and a third subscribes himself for Cephas Thus was the house of the church divided and one fell upon another some preached Christ of envy some one way some another All this while I observe two Rules to guide men one divine which Paul gives and takes well saith he every way Christ is preached and therin I doe and will rejoyce if any glory acrew to Jesus any way I hope I shall be glad of that and the Lord will gett himself glory sometimes when and where we doe not think of The other rule I walke by is humane and it is this Quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest salvo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod salvo pacis vinculo excludere non potest equitate improbat firmitate supportat hic est pacificus ab isto maledicto immunis Esa 5.20 Aug. That is to say he that by reproving corrects that which he can or that which he cannot correct doth peaceably exclude or that which he cannot peaceably exclude disalowes or wisely beares with he is a peaceable man and free from that curse woe unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter House corporall Lastly the houses of clay the houses corporall they 'le be falling one upon another if they be devided against themselves and among themselves and some Spirits make no more of clashing even