should consider that the things wee know are the least part of those wee know not If more reverence were given to the word of God the holy Spirit implored prayer made to God more frequently If care were had to abstaine from all curious questions and practicall and profitable things preached and pressed wee should I am perswaded agree sooner and God would I am of opinion blesse us better Secondly In Controversies of great moment doe but see the Devils cunning Hee stirres up men to hatreds pride reproachfull speeches Alas the authour of errour must bee handled friendly and if chidden at any time it must bee done without bitternesse arguments used fitted not to the person but the thing And if wee could alwaies aime at this that not our opinion but Gods truth might bee glorious And that whensoever wee enter into preaching or writing or conference or the like Pride might be put off and modesty with humility and moderation out on there were some hope wee might live to see the day that wee might live like brethren and the Lord might delight to dwell amongst us Thirdly Heede ought to bee taken that by the two great Authorities no injury bee done I meane first That by the authority of the Church neither Man nor Doctrine bee rashly condemned that difference bee wisely made between the points of Faith which are necessary to bee beleeved and certaine and things controversall that opinions bee weighed with much of judgement and affection too wherein the best Scale will bee the word of God that men be very tender of things necessary to be known and beleeved that the things flowing from principles be observed and in the rest there be kept a Brotherly concord Secondly That the authority of the Magistrate be also very venerable the Hangman not called in to be a Moderator or Umpire in controversie of Religion the Magistrate not made an instrument to execute every foole and knaves lust and madnesse nor in cases of errour and humane lapse recantations injoyned for feare of punishments Fourthly Many times doctrine is depraved and spoyled Men not observing it and this cometh to passe either from the doctrine it self because indeed the finest bodies soonest putrifie or because changes by little and little are made insensibly as the turning of the houre wheel Sometimes miscariages come and are not seen because of a great fame of learning and holynes in the teacher and sometimes because of the ignorance and negligence of the hearer Surely the way to preserve purity of doctrine is carefully to cleave unto the very words and phrases of holy scripture quietly to give leave unto the modest and moderate use of any mans gifts publick peace preserved Dilligently to cry down all lust of contention and soberly to consider of and submitt the authority and irrefragibility of counsells if such be in them Fiftly Because dissembled sanctity is double iniquity therefore it would bee observed that some men maintayn their own name no better any way than by detracting from all mens else and then they indeed act their own cause when they seem to stirre in the cause of God Very angry they are if any man contradict them too too ready to reproaches and flyings out then they come to trust their own wit parts and labour more than God and if there bee not the more mercy fall to sinning against knowledge and conscience Without all controversie to the preserving of holinesse and goood manners Censures Ecclesiasticall are very needfull which yet have been and may be so exercised as that it may bee truly sayd of them the Devill rebukes sinne many wise men think and that upon good grounds too that publique Pennances are neither needfull nor usefull Sixtly I think that a modest liberty of opinions concerning Religion is much against Satans kingdome because I know that he desires to take away all desire of enquiring after Truth the people think they may cast off all care and study of Religion to their Ministers and are like him who when hee was asked by his Minister How many Sacraments there were gave that answer to him Sir you can tell Two things I think wee ought to bee very carefull of First to set down exactly the marks of true and false Religion which may stand as so many Dooles or Landmarks as well to shew men where they ought as where they ought not to go Secondly to consider well how they which govern Church and Common Wealth are usually incited against Truths professors I confesse I have thought and yet doe exacted confessions from our people very inconvenient for if Ministers carry themselves lovingly they will winne their people to more profitable discoveries a great deale another way Seventhly How Satan labours that neither truth might enter nor errour bee cast out let that bee observed Hee now layes his ax to the root of the Ordinance of the Ministery that there may bee none to teach quarrells at their maintenance and fills the very calling with slander begins by his instruments to talke of feare hope and reward things which every religiously noble spirit layeth as low as that whereon it treads and looks a great deale higher unto that Hee that winneth soules is wise Hee that turneth many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars in the firmament They that have this great worke in their hand O that they would not wound one another lest God leave them at length to bee wounded one of another Much adoe is made about having a Confession I think the Law of God well read and shortly glossed would serve and none better and such a Creed or Symbole of faith I think were good as might bee definition-wise wherein nothing might bee deficient or redundant onely such things being therein contained as are necessary to bee known to salvation Eightly The Devil goeth about like a roaring Lyon hee is never but either doing or endeavouring to do some mischiefe privately or publiquely Hee often transformes himselfe into an Angel of light and puts on shewes of holinesse and sanctitie with which hâ—e oftentimes so deceives good men that unawares they lend him in his businesse an helping hand Eminently Godly men doe not escape him without either crime or calumnie if hee can help them to it and hee is not wanting to seeke his advantages every where to that purpose his great engine that hee useth to doe mischiefe which is the sowing of strifes discords and divisions between men and therefore we had need to bee prepared for prevention When the Senators conspired against Caesar to kill him in the Senate house Antemidorus delivered him a paper entring in wherein all the Plot might have been discovered which Caesar then busied with complements wrapt uâ— amongst other Papers and Petitions and thrust into hiâ— pocket and so not seeing the paper went in but lost his life and never came out again what an opportunity was here lost Wee beseech you in Christ his stead to be reconciled let it not then bee said of this and such other messages who hath beleeved our report FINIS
for our sinne and one of our evils to be the reward of another it was these peoples case see ver 30.31 they fall into a scattering where Christ gathereth and from thence the next steppe is into the sinne against the holy Ghost a blasphemy not to be forgiven Some Councells 1. See thou take heede of exalting thy wicked selfe so did the Scribes and Pharisees and above them Iesus Christ must not bee though God the Father give never so cleare evidence of him Yee that set your selves in your wayes above the way God hath owned heed this 2. Love not cavilling scornes nor jeering scoffs they are unbecomming Iesus Christ is but a fellow with these fellows vers 24. I do not know what sinne a proud spirit is not fit to fall into Vse 7 7. The seventh and last use Danger gives us in a word or two of the danger in case all this be not disgested touched by our Lord in all those expressions shall be desolate shall not stand an house will fall upon an house and the like these doubtlesse are all added to this purpose that we might be more cautelous for if ruine desolation and such things will not ingage us to take heed of divisions nothing at all will 1. 1. desolation Desolation will come will come shall I say Nay rather let me say and I shall say true Desolation is come it is at hand already But when he saw the multitude saith St. Matthew hee was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd Then saith hee unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plentious but the labourers are few Pray yee therefore the Lord of the harvest who to by pittied that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Matth 9.9.36 37. 38. The field of God is untilled and desolate the gardens indeed of the Congregationall the Church way these are dressed trimmed and fine these are weeded rowled digged dunged what not not any thing amisse But the poore people in the Field on these no pitty of God no pitty of Man falls Ninevehs 6000000. makes me remember them which knew not the right hand from the left I am confident there are not in any place in the kingdome of England so rude heathenish and ignorant a people as are to be found in the suburbs of London and the adjacent places thereabouts no greater people nor living more inconsiderable Now he that looks here may see desolation I would have these fields tilled and some of that feed which here falls in the high way and in the stony places cast there abroad who knowes but that it may there some of it fructify by the blessing of God and bring forth fruit in abundance 2 Instability will be in Religion 2. Inst bility nay I pray to God that instability be not for Religion some such tenets I heare and see already Some men glory in having so dark and doubtfull a behaviour that no man can tell what to make of them the more scepticall a man is now the more religious hee 's thought to be to walk as a staggerer neuter and unresolved one as if a mans Religion were still to choose is this becomming them whom God bids to be perswaded in their own minde Rom. 14.5 Nay such men as these do affect to have and indeed bear the bell away for the wisest men in the Countrey because they will utter themselves no further than if need bee they may keep their retreat fair and have the wind on their backs If such a one as I might speak without offence I would here insert two words of warning the first to my self and such inferiour ones as I am wherein I would desire to observe 1 Vnder what Banner Gods holy warre best prospereth Preaching I mean namely neither under strength nor might nor wisdom Ruâ—es for preaching but his own spirit Zach. 5.7 let us take heed therfore of pleasing our selves too much in our own inventions 2 They that draw their people on to the carnall admiring of their parts and persons teach them a lesson which lames cries out against the having of the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ with respect of persons I am 3. Let not be forsaken the maine truths of God and the channell of wholesom doctrin to run into some od muddy creek of our invention for feare wee loose our peace with seeking to get the peoples praise 4. I would wee might all be as little carnall in preaching Iesus Christ as may bee and as much spirituall as possible might bee the evidence and demonstration of the spirit that is it 5. I would our subjects might be often changed and if we see wee have preached Mercy up till Duty bee quite done then change the subject and presse originall sinne preach Selfe-denyall Mortification the New creature taking up the Crosse Preparation for death c. The second unto the people of this City 1. The end of preaching is Common edifying nothing else And for Hearing Know it and lay it for a ground every thing is best used when to the end which God appointed it 2. Take heed of partiallity and the balking of any mans ministery that is faithfull God is able to fit a truth to thee which yet was not studied for thee 3. Do not catch at new points forsaking old grounds it is the common fault of London hearers they have better braines then either hearts or lives 4. Eye the Minister in not thy relation to him nor in thy knowledge of him nor according to the infirmities that are in him but as the dispencer of the mystery of Christ that will best prepare thy spirit God being intreated that thou mayest be like one of Peters hearers willing to hear whatsoever is commanded 3. An house will fall upon an house that is the third danger and it is a danger if our Lord hath so set it downe to bee Houses are but of four sorts as the Private house the Politique house the Ecclesiasticall house and the house of Clay the Corporall house and all these are in continuall danger of falling one upon another if divisions cease not For we read 1. 4. Houses A difference that fell among the Private houses and Families concerning the spies Numb 13.31.32 Some said one thing concerning the land some another 2. A difference that arose betwixt them concerning the Altar Josh 22. There some said one thing some another but the cause of feare being good a good God gave a good effect unto it 3. A difference about the Sacrament grew the poore were dispised by the rich and one separated from another 1 Cor. 11. but were at length reconciled by a good God whose instrument was a carefull Ministery then setled among them preaching against what they then practised Self-divisions Now what discouragements were then used against divisions Our preaching the same will be now used to quell the last of these
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
which was not brought into disgrace what vertue was unperswaded that a man may safely say of some of them that they left unto posterity more clearnesse and Prints of Divinity than all the books of the Schoolemen put together So as I remember said Bucer also of Seneca 2. Bucer's saying of Seneca They had their proverbs and voyces of men publickly against them as that against the Cretians was a proverb Tit. 1.12 The Cretians are alwayes liars slow-bellies and evill beasts and this in my Text a proverbiall sentence also 3. They had the works of God by which he intended to leave men without excuse Rom. 1.20 As raine and fruitefull seasons Act. 14.17 Nay they had yet more the naturall knowledge whereby they knew the Law Rom. 1.32 and the naturall conscience whereby they did by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 All this I observe to let you see how zealous God is to keep afoot this work to teach us that it ought not to be lost our Lord in his time used it and convincing preaching will be found to be the lively Ordinance when all is done 2. Sometimes he will have men to doe this work Mans worke when God will have him do it and then hee conveyes into them his power and bears a presence with them thus he was with the Apostles Peter in a great conversion and conviction Paul and others also Apollos was a man instructed in the way of the Lord and he mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ Act. 18.25 28. Such ingredients as these goe to the making up of this spirituall medicine as to convince by answering to silence by answering Job 32.12 to convince by reproving 2 Tim. 3.16 to convince by preaching Tit. 1.9 to convince by chiding rebuke them sharpely Tit. 1.13 to convince by correcting with all authority Tit. 2.15 to convince every way to convince any way that is lawfull and by the word warranted I read of Cicero that pleading for Ligurius Mine Authour sayes the bills fell out of Caesar's hand the bills of his accusation as it were forced by the eloquence of the pleader a great power there is in conviction Naturall and Spiritual thunder Wee learn from all this that hath been said that men are exceeding hard to be brought to any thing of God they must be convinced the naturall thunder is the voice of God so is the spirituall too that is exceeding subtle so is this it divideth between the marrow and the bones the naturall thunder breaks a peeces what resists it onely so doth the other it is like fire and the hammer that breaketh the stony rock asunder 3. Some men there are whom of all others Who ought soonest to be unvailed I would have conviction to finde out namely the subtill cunning crafty ones such to be silenced is a great victory a very great conquest When the Word of God the truth of Christ comes off like Stephen Act. 6.9 10. The Libertines and Syrenians and Alexandrians and those of Cilicia and Asia were disputing with Stephen but they were not able to resist the Spirit and the wisdome by which he spake O then the word of God and those which handle it come off like David from Goliah with the head of the champion in his hand The Herodians Court-flatterers a sycophanticall generation see how convincingly our Saviour deales with them Matth. 22.21 22. Render to Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods and they marvelled We have a like instance Joh. 8.7 He that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone at her and they that heard it being convicted went out one by one The Gospel is alwayes the power of God unto great things but never more visibly so then when we can say with the Apostle Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer oâ— this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 As David prayed so I would we should doe in a time of distresse that the Ahitophels of our time may be infatuated 4. Meanes for conviction How may a man best convince enemies such as our Lord here had I answer even as our Lord did surely that will be found to be the very best way His direction is the onely infallible one therein we may abide therefore observe 1. Our Lord shews his courage in both Preaching and practise notwithstanding in the presence of his professed adversaries He taketh all opportunities to do good by his Doctrine and Miracles and hereby convinceth them it shameth them amongst us who at such a time can bend their tongues like bows for lies but are not valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 2. Our Lord speaketh home to the consciences of his adversaries makes them witnesse of the truth he speaks against them so did Samuel 1 Sam. 12.5 and so did Joshuah also Josh 34.22 so ought we to doe and it serves to chide them who jangle about words to no purpose the least truth laid home to the conscience would doe more good 3. Our Lord vindicates and defends the truth against oppugners the truth of the Resurrection against the Sadduces and convinceth them Matth. 22. of tribute paying to Caesar against the Herodians and convinceth them He that bids us be ready to render a reason shews himself ready on all occasions so to doe It reproves them that are Nicodemites and Neuters in these sad times of which sort we have not a few 4. Our Lord retorts upon his enemies their owne arguments fights with them with their own weapons he casts out devils as their children doe this is that convinceth if the Master-builders of Israel would observe it may be there were arguments enough to be found in our adversaries to overthrow both them and their cause so some have done Popery 5. When convinced and no more And one word more I have to say to all ye that are the blaspheming Cavileers of this generation of you I know there is not a few If once yee be convinced and no more behold the glasse of these men in which I intreat you look your faces the glasse I say which Iesus Christ hath opened you to look in 1 You will fall into extremity of sin More sin If you bee convinced and no more if you have the flashes falling upon your eyes and no more if you taste of the powers of the life to come and no more if you weepe for sinne once and laugh and to it againe you will fall into extreames of sinfull courses your later end will be worse then your beginning you 'le beginne in the Spirit and end in the flesh wofull and everlastingly so will bee the condition of such a man doubtlesse 2. You will fall into extremity of judgement More judgement into extremity of judgement I say when God makes sinne our punishment