which S. Paul deliuered to them in sacred writing Iustification onely by the bloud of Christ. If they be falne from this who can blame vs for falling from them It was high time to leaue them when they left the Lord Iesus So long as we preserue the truths antiquity wee must smile at their fond obiection of nouelty The Church of God is Catholike not Romane Catholike that 's iust as foolish a phrase as the by-word of Kent and Christendome Particular and vniuersall are contradictories If we haue any thing from them that they had from God it is our blessing that we haue kept it their woe that they haue lost it Esau's blessing and birth-right is lost to himselfe and giuen vnto Iacob They haue not so much reason to boast as we to reioyce Our Church had a substantiall being before but hath gotten a better being by the repurgation of the Gospell which is maintained by our Christian Princes iustly stiled Defenders of the ancient Faith It was Gods Floore before though full of chaffe but now since hee that hath his fanne in his hand hath purged it it is clearer in shew and substance It was before a wedge of pure gold but vsurped by the hands of Impostors that by their mixtures and sophistications for gaine and sinister respects augmented it into a huge body and masse It had the tincture of gold still but mingled with the drosse of traditions superstitions will-worships You ask where was the gold shew vs the place We answer it was in that masse now for extracting and purifying it from the drosse God gaue vs the touchstone of his word which made it sound manifests it to be sound The Lord doth not then forsake his the time was that the whole world seemed to groan factum se videns Arrianum beholding it selfe made Arrian yet God had his nūber Sardis is said to be dead thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead yet there be a few names in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments When ordinary meanes faile by extraordinary the Lord gathers his elect The Israelites in the wildernesse wanted both Circumcision and Passeouer yet GOD made supply by Manna and the Pillar of the cloud 2. A Church is visible when it flourisheth not that the faith and secret election of men is seene but there are apparant signes by frequenting the Sanctuary and submitting themselues to the Ministery of the Word Now this visible Church is a mixt company of men professing the faith I call it mixt for in it are both beleeuers and hypocrites corne and tares it is a band of men where be some valiant souldiers and many cowards It is called a Church from the better not from the greater part The vngodly though they are in the Church are not of the Church as the superfluous humours in the veynes are not parts of the body but rather the sicknesse of it These professe veram fidem sed non verè the true faith but not truly Hence it appeares that there be two sorts of members in the Church members before God such as beside the outward profession keepe a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained Members before men such as haue onely the colour and huske of Religion in heart denying the power of godlinesse yet these are by vs to be esteemed members according to the rule of charity iudging the best 2. Now for Instruction what I haue to say consists in the examination of two points First whether the Church of England be a part of this Catholike Church then next whether the Church of Rome haue the same prerogatiue For our selues the most infallible marke of the true Church is the right ministration of the Sacraments and sincere Preaching the true Doctrine of the Gospell That is the true Mother and Spouse of Christ that brings forth children to him of immortall seed by the Word of GOD which abideth for euer not of traditions miracles dreames but of this incorruptible seed And when they are borne anew feedes them with syncere Milke out of her tvvo brests the two Testaments This you know in your cōsciences to be true in our Mother shee doth not giue vs pro lacte venenum but milke euen the same that Christ himselfe put into her brests When we grow strong shee giues vs meate not bones troubles vs not with the subtilties of the Schooles that haue Plus argutiarum quà m doctrinae plus doctrinae quà m vsus but Quod accepit a Domino what shee hath receiued of the Lord neither more nor lesse but iust weight She doth not say Haec dicit Papa but Haec dicit Dominus not thus saith the Pope in his Decretalls but thus saith the Lord in his Scriptures She doth say the truth in Christ and lyeth not her conscience bearing her witnesse in the holy Ghost She doth not sophisticate truth not mingle wine with water not dawbe the walls of Gods house with vntempered morter not build vpon the foundation straw stubble not adulterate the Word like a lustfull man whose end is not to encrease mankind but to satisfie concupiscence O then let vs hang vpon her lips that preserue this true knowledge and say with Peter Lord to whom should we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Thus wee haue prooued the truth of our Church by Scripture but our aduersaries oppose the sufficiencie of this proofe by disabling the Scriptures They say wee cannot know Scripture to be Scripture but by the testimony of the Church It is false for the witnesse of man subiect to error is nothing to the testimony of GOD that cannot erre Therefore the Scripture is called the Testimonie because it beares witnesse to it selfe Besides the Church hath her beginning from the Word for there can be no Church without faith no faith without the Word no Word without the Scriptures So the Church depēds on the Scripture not the Scripture on the church The Lawyer that hath only power to expound the Law is vnder the Law But they obiect that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the voice of the Church Paul intends there not that generall faith whereby wee belieue Scripture to be Scripture but that iustifying faith whereby we attaine saluation And this comes by the voice of the Church not of it selfe but as it is the ministerie of Gods Word Iohn is but Uox clamantis Christ is Verbum clamans Particular Churches haue erred therefore the best securitie from error is in the Scriptures This is a Lesbian rule able to decide all Controuersies and it is vitio hominum by the fault of bad Interpreters that it doth not For whether Aliorum incuriâ that despise it or Aliorum iniuriâ that peruert it it suffers martyrdome and may not be heard declare it selfe The Papist in expounding Scripture after his owne fancie makes himselfe Iudge not the Scripture But all their drift is with Gods losse to promoue
Church and can haue no other partner to share with him in this dignity Iesus Christ is the corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together growes vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. Hee doth not onely by his authority gouerne it but also by his grace quicken it so that wee liue not but Christ liueth in vs. Let vs hold the head from which all the body by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God He requires no deputy he needs none For wheresoeuer you are gathered together in my name I am in the middest of you Now euery Commission ceaseth in the presence of him that giues it It is therefore as great arrogancy in the Pope to call himselfe Caput Ecclesiae Head of the Church as for a subiect to keepe himselfe in commission in the presence of the King But they distinguish of heads there is a Principall and a Ministeriall Head Christ is not so weake in himselfe or so respectlesse of vs as to need any Ministeriall head Indeed there be Heads Materialiter who are no other then principall members So Saul was called Head of the Tribes Psal. 18. 43. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen 2. Sam. 23. 8. The Tachmonite head of the Captaines Nehem. 11. 16. Iozabad head of the Leuites The eldest was called head of the familie Exod. 6. 14. These bee the heads of their fathers houses But there is a Head Formaliter to giue sense motion vertue gouernance this none but onely Christ. 3. Wee must know that there is no saluation out of this Church such as neuer become members of it must eternally perish they that are true members shall be saued If they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs but they went out from vs that it might be manifest they were not of vs. Without are dogs and scorners c. All out of the Arke perished in the waters The Lord added to the Church daily such as should bee saued First because there is no meanes of saluation out of it no word to teach no Sacraments to confirm And especially because out of the Church there is no Christ and out of Christ no saluation Who haue not the Church their Mother cannot haue God their Father This teacheth vs to honour our Mother and like little children to hang at her brests for our sustenance Sucke and bee satisfied with the brests of her consolations milke out and bee delighted with the abundance of her glory Run not to strange nurses for poyson when you may haue pure milke of your owne mother Desire like babes that sincere milke of the Gospell that yee may grow by it Qualis nutritio talis complexio The complexion of your manners the disposition of your liues will witnesse whose children they are The generall assembly this is the property of the Church Generall It is Catholike in three respects of Time of Persons of Place 1. Of Time because the Church had a beeing in all ages euer since the Promise was giuen to our first Parents in Paradise If there had beene a time when no Church had beene on earth the world should haue then perished for it stands for the Elects sake 2. Of persons for it consists of all degrees and sorts of men rich and poore Princes and subiects bond and free There is no order nor state excluded if they exclude not themselues Christ is the Propitiation for our sinnes He may be so indeed for the sinnes of Iohn and the Disciples but how appeares it for mine yes not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the wholeworld euery condition of beleeuers 3. Of Place it is gathered from all parts of the earth especially vnder the new Testament Wheresoeuer this Gospell shall bee preached in the whole world When Christ gaue his Apostles their Commission hee gaue also the whole world for their Parish Goe teach all nations and baptize c. Thus we see the property of this Church Catholike or Generall It is one but not tyed to one time nor one place nor one person it is Catholike to all times to all places to all persons Augustine sayes that the Donatists in his dayes would haue tyed the Church to Cartenna in Africa as the Papists in our dayes to Rome in Italy How is it then a Generall assembly Thus that Antichristian rabble which haue almost nothing in their mouthes but the Church the Church yet doe mostly infringe the liberties of the Church and hedge it in All of them haue made the Catholike Church to be nothing else but the Romane Church and some of them the Romane Church to be nothing else but the Pope So in effect Papa virtualiter est â—…ota Ecclesia say they The Anabaptists imagined a Church like the Ticke all body and no head the Papists haue made a Church like the Toadstoole all head and no body What a monster is their Pope that will bee all in all eye and tongue body and head taile too As Caligula tooke off the head of Iupiter and set on another of his owne so they haue smitten off Christs head and set on the Pope Let them take their imaginary head say we onely to Christ Whom haue we in heauen but thee and on earth none besides thee Our dependance be for euer on our Head the Lord Iesus Before I leaue this point I desire to expresse two things one for distinction the other for instruction First for distinction betwixt this Generall assembly and particular Churches then for instruction to shew who bee true members of this Catholike Church 1. The maine difference betweene them consists in this that the Catholike Church is alwaies inuisible the members thereof only knowne to God particular Churches are sometimes inuisible and lying hid other times manifest in the open profession of Christs name As the Moone is eft-soones ecclipsed or clouded and often shineth in the full 1. It lies hid through want of the word preached and publike administration of the Sacraments So it was in the dayes of Elias when hee wished to die I onely am left Strange Apostacie when so notable a Prophet could not discerne the Church yet vers 18. I haue left seuen thousand that neuer bowed their knees to Baal So it was in the raigne of Asa For a long season Israel hath bene without the true God without a teaching Priest and without the Law The Papists demand where our Church was before the daies of Luther we answer that an vniuersall Apostacie was ouer the face of the world the true Church was not then visible but the graine of trueth lay hid vnder a great heape of popish chaffe But this inuisibility doth not proue a nullitie They cannot impugne the antiquity of our Church vnlesse they conuince themselues For the Church of England holds no other doctrin then that the Church of Rome primarily did hold and that
and Luxurie let him take heed lest he meet with a wind that shall take off his Charriot-wheeles as Pharaoh was punished drowne horses and chariots Riders not in the Red-Sea but in that infernall Lake vvhence there is no redemption Let all these Riders beware lest hee that rides on the wings of vengeance with a sword drawne in his hand that will eate flesh and drinke bloud that will make such haste in the pursute of his enemies that he will not bait or refresh himselfe by the way lest this God before they haue repented ouertake them Gird thy sword vpon thy thigh O most mighty and in thy maiestie ride prosperously c. and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Then shall the Lord remember the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and reward them as they serued vs. Loe now the end of these Riders There are the workers of iniquitie fallen they are cast downe and shall not be able to rise Zach. 10. The riders on horses shall be confounded 2. For vs though passion possesse our bodies let patience possesse our soules The law of our Profession bindes vs to a warfare patiendo vincimus our troubles shall end our victory is eternall Heare Dauids triumph Psalm 18. I haue wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder my feete Thou hast subdued vnder mee those that rose vp against mee Thou hast also giuen me the neck of mine enemies c. They haue wounds for their woundes and the treaders downe of the poore are troden down by the poore The Lord will subdue those to vs that would haue subdued vs to themselues and though for a short time they rode ouer our heads yet now at last wee shall euerlastingly tread vpon their necks Loe then the reward of humble patience and confident hope Speramus et Superamus Our God is not as their God euen our enemies beeing iudges Psal. 20. Some put their trust in Chariots and some in horses But no Chariot hath strength to oppose nor horse swiftnesse to escape when God pursues They are brought downe and fallen we are risen stand vpright Their trust hath deceiued them downe they fall and neuer to rise Our God hath helped vs wee are risen not for a breathing space but to stand vpright for euer Tentations persecutions oppressions crosses infamies bondage death are but the way wherein our blessed Sauiour went before vs and many Saints followed him Behold them with the eyes of faith now mounted aboue the clowds trampling all the vanities of this world vnder their glorified feet standing on the battlements of heauen and wafting vs to them with the hands of encouragement They bid vs fight and wee shall conquer suffer and we shall raigne And as the Lord Iesus that once suffered a reprochfull death at the hands of his enemies now sits at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places farre aboue all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominations till his enemies bee made his footestoole So one day they that in their haughty pride mercilesse oppressions rode ouer our heads shall then lie vnder our feete Through thee will wee push downe our enemies through thy Name will wee tread them vnder that rise vp against vs. At what time yonder glorious skie Coelum stellatum which is now our seeling ouer our heads shall be but a pauement vnder our feet To which glory he that made vs by his Word and bought vs by the bloud of his Sonne seale vs vp by his blessed Spirit Amen THE VICTORIE OF PATIENCE With the expiration of Malice PSALME 66. 12. VVe went through fire and through water but thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place I DID not in the former Sermon draw out the oppressing cruelty of these Persecutours to the vtmost scope and period of their malice nor extend their impium imperium to the furthest limit and determination therof There is yet one glimpse of their stinking candle before the snuffe goes out one groane ere their malice expire We went through fire and water The Papists when they heare these words went through fire and water startle and cry out Purgatory direct proofes for Purgatory With as good reason as Sedulius on that dreame of Pharaohs Officer Gen. 40. 10. A vine was before me and in the vine were three branches sayes that the Vine signifies St. Francis and the three branches the three Orders deriued from him And as a Pope on that of Samuel Behold to obey is better thâ—…n sacrifice and stubbornnesse is as Idolatry inferres that not to obey the Apostolike See of Rome was Idolatry by the witnesse of Samuel Or as one writes of St. Fraâ—…cis that because it is said Vnlesse you become as little children you cannot enter into the kingdom of heauen he commanded one Massaeus to tumble round like a little childe that he might enter Or as when the contention was betwixt the Seruices of Amâ—…se and Gregorie which should take place by the common consent both the Masse-bookes were layd on the Altar of S. Peter expecting some decision of that doubt by reuelation The Church dores being opened in the morning Gregories Missal-booke was rent and torne into many pieces but Ambroses lay whole and open vpon the Altar Which euent in a sober exposition would haue signified the Masse of Gregory cancelled and abolished and that of Ambrose authenticall and allowed But the wise Pope Adrian expounds it thus that the renting and scattering of Gregories Missall intended that it should be dispersed ouer all the Christian world and onely receiued as Canonical Or as that simple Fryer that finding Maria in the Scripture vsed plurally for Seas cryed out in the ostentation of his lucky witte that he had found in the olde Testament the name of Maria for the Virgin Mary But I purpose not to waste time in this place and among such hearers in the confutation of this ridiculous folly Resting my selfe on the iudgement of a vvorthie learned man in our Church that Purgatory is nothing else but a Mythologie a morall vse of strange fables As when Pius the second had fent abroad his Indulgencies to all that would take Armes against the Turke the Turke wrote to him to call in his Epigrams againe Or as Bellarmine excused Prudentiuâ—… when hee appoints certaine holy-dayes in hell that hee did but poetize So all their fabulous discourse of Purgatory is but Epigrams poetry a more serious kinde of iest Wherein they laugh among themselues how they couzen the world and fill the Popes coffers Who for his aduantage Ens non esse facit non ens fore So that if Roffensis gather out of this place that in Purgatory there is great store of water Wee went through fire and water We may oppose against him Sir Thomas More who proues from Zachary 9. that there is no water at all I haue sent forth
thy prisoners out of the pitte wherein is no water Set then the frost against the raine and you may goe in Purgatory dry-shod If there be nothing left but fire I make no question but there is not a sparke difference betwixt Purgatory and Hell I should narrow vp the scope and liberty of Gods spirit if I should heere tie my discourse to the letter Wee went through fire and through water It is an effect of our persecution and may thus be resolued we were by their malice driuen to great extremity Fire and water are two elements which they say haue no mercy yet eyther of them more then our oppressors The time was that a red Sea diuided the waters and gaue dry passage to the children of Israel and of God Whereof the Psalmist heere sings vers 6. Hee turned the Sea into dry land they vvent through the floud on foote there did wee reioyce in him And the fire in an Ouen whose heate was septupled touched not those three seruants of the Lord. But these more incensed and insensible creatures haue no mercy nor can they inuent a cruelty which they forbeare to execute Some translations haue it Wee went into fire and into water which extends their persecution to our deaths and comprehends the latitude of mortall martyrdome And thus vnderstood the next words of the deliuerance Thou broughtest vs out into a wealthy place must bee meant of our glory in heauen But the euident circumstances following deny that interpretation therefore I adhere to the last and best Translation Wee went through fire and through water Wherein two things may seeme to be imported and imparted to our consideration 1. We went They went so conueniently as they might and so conscionably as they durst from the hands of their persecutors 2. The hard exigents they were driuen to when to passe through fire and water was but a lesse euill compared with that they eschewed Per mare mactantes fugimus per saxa per ignes 1. From the former obserue that it may be lawfull in time of persecution to flie This was granted yea in some respects enioyned by Christ. But must be warily vnderstood and the rule in a word may bee this When our suffering may stand the Church of God in better stead then our flying we must then lose our liues to saue Gods honour and our owne soules To deny God this fealtie and tribute of our blouds when his glory hath vse of such a seruice at our hands is not onely to deny him that is his owne by many deare titles of creation which was ex spiritu oris by the breath of his mouth and of redemption which was ex sanguine cordis by the bloud of his heart But to withdraw this iustly required testimony is to betray and crucifie him and scarce inferior to their periury whose false witnesse condemned him In this we restore to God his talent with profit not only our owne soule he gaue vs but as many more as our example workes vpon and winnes to him When the people admired the great bounty of Iohn called Eleemosynarius he answered them O brethren I haue not yet shed my bloud for you as I ought to doe for my masters sake and testimony In the early morning of the world did Abel dedicate Martyrdome without example and the Lord did approue it by accepting Abels sacrifice and Abel for a sacrifice I haue read that a worthy Martyr of ours Dr. Rowland Taylor wrote first with inke after with his bloud that it is not enough to professe the Gospell of Christ ad ignem exclusiue but we must cleaue to it ad ignem inclusiuè This was an honor that Christ accepted presently after his birth the Holocaust or Heccatomb of many innocent infants murdered and martyred for his sake So that suffering for Iesus is a thing to which he promiseth an ample reward No man shall for sake parents or friends or inheritance or liuing or life for my sake but hee shall haue in exchange a hundred fold so much comfort in this life and in the world to come life euerlasting But all times and occasions yeeld not warrant for such a seruice Much lesse can the Seminaries dying in England for treason arrogate to themselues the glory of Martyrdome though a vicious affectation of it hath hartned and hardned them to such a prodigality of their blouds They come not to maintaine the verity of Scriptures but the vanity of Traditions the entangling perplexities of Schoolemen the obscure tetricall and contradictory assertions of Popes who commands them to steale that with their liues which not onely is in inuolued beeing but in future contingence whatsoeuer the Romane Church that is the Pope shall heereafter constitute or declare 2. From the latter words Through fire and water obserue that the children of God must not expect a gentle and soft entertainment in this world but hard exigents when to flie from their enemies they are faine to passe through fire and water Affliction for the Gospell is called by Paul the markes of the Lord Iesus The world often sets a man as those three seruants of God were set in Daniels Prophecie On the one side a harmony of sweet musike the Cornet Flute c. on the other side a burning furnace hette aboue ordinary seuen times Worship the Idoll and enioy the delight of musicke not worship it and be cast into the fiery ouen Ioyne with the world in his vngodly customes and the world will loue feast tickle your eares with musicke Separate your selues and it will hate you Ioh. 15. If you were of the world the world would loue his owne but because I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Thou shalt bee like Abrahams Ramme tyed in a bush of thornes from which thou canst not extricate thy selfe till thou be made a sacrifice I haue read that Caligula the Tyrant being dead there were found in his Closet Duo libelli one called a sword the other a dagger wherein many were by name prick'd for death and destin'd to it in the Emperours bloudy intention Presumptuous enemies so cast lots on a Nation before they haue it and talke of diuiding a spoyle ere they come at it Iudg. 5. Haue they not sped haue they not diuided the prey So the proud aduersary in that wonderfull yeare 88. that came with an Inuincible Nauy and implacable fury the Ensignes of whose shippes weâ—…e victoria victoria brought ready with them instruments of torture as if the Land of peace and mercy had in it no such engines of cruelty and swallowed downe an abundant hope of our desolation They threw at dice for our wiues and daughters lands and vineyards houses and heritages shires and kingdome They purposed to driue vs through fire and water but fire and water was their destruction Fire broke the sinewes of their combination and the waues deuoured both their hopes
in this coherence pardon me if I haue beene somewhat plentifull It was the induction to my Text and the dore thus opened let vs enter in to suruay the building Be not c. The whole may be distinguished into a Caution Reason The caution Be not deceiued God is not mocked The Reason For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape The Caution is partly Disswasiue Be not deceiued Perswasiue God is not mocked You may deceiue your selues you cannot deceiue God These two circumstances make against two defects Error Be not deceiued Hypocrisie God is not mocked The Disswasion Be not deceiued This is the voyce of a friend studying Aut praeuenire errori aut reuocare errantem eyther to preuent a man before he erres or to recall him erring A phrase often vsed by our Apostle Ephes. 5. Let no man deceiue you vvith vaine words Nihil facilius est quà m errare There is nothing easier then to erre There is no man but erres sometimeâ—… in via pedum often in via morum This prouision then is necessary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deceits lye as thick vpon the earth as the Grashoppers did in Egypt a man can scarce set his foote besides them But to preuent the deceiuings of sinne is our Apostles intention Hebr. 3. Lest any of vs bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Sinne is crafty and full of delusion there is no sinne but hath his couzonage Vsury vvalkes in Alderman Thrifty's gowne Pride gets the name of my Lady Decencie Idolatry as if it dwelt by ill neighbours praiseth it selfe and that for the purest Deuotion Homicide marcheth like a man of valour and Lust professeth it selfe Natures Scholler Couetousnesse is goodman Nabals husbandry and Enclosing Master Oppressors policie We were wont to say that blacke could neuer be coloured into vvhite yet the deuill hath some Painters that vndertake it Euills are neere neighbors to good Errore sub illo Pro vitio virtus crimina saepe tulit By that meanes vertue hath borne the blame of vices faults yea and more then that Vice hath had the credite of Vertues goodnes But be not deceiued When mens wits and the deuils to helpe haue found out the fairest pretexts for sinne Gods iustice strikes off all and leaues Sinne naked and punishable Many pretences haue been found out for many sinnes besides distinctions mitigations qualifications extenuations colours questions necessities inconueniences tolerations ignorances But when man hath done God begins One argument of Gods now is stronger then all ours Thou shalt not doe this Goe study to perswade thy selfe that thou mayest yet at last GOD takes away all thy distinctions when he poures his wrath on thy naked conscience Then where is thy paint If it preuaile not against the Sunne what will it doe against the fire God charged our first Parents that they should not cate of the forbidden fruite If you doe you shall dye The deuill comes first with a flatte Negatiue Non moriâ—…mini Ye shall not dye Then with subtile promises Yee shall be as Gods knowing good and euill But what is the euent They eate and they die are instantly made mortall and should haue died for euer but for a Sauiour GOD bids Saul slay all in Amalek 1. Sam. 15. Smite Amalek vtterly destroy all that they haue and spare them not Yet Saul spares Agag and the fatte cattell Why is this a fault I spared the best of the cattell for Sacrifice to the Lord. Will not this serue No God reiects Saul from beeing King ouer Israel who had reiected God from beeing King ouer Saul Be not deceiued God is not mâ—…ked Consider we here the examples of Uzzah and Vzziah For Vzzah God had charged that none but the consecrated Priests should touch the Arkâ—… Uzzah seeing the Oxen shake the Arke put forth his hand to stay it vp Was this a sinne to stay the Arke of God from falling Yes God proues it he layes him dead by the Arks side For Vzziah God had charged Numb 18. that none should inuade the Priests office The stranger that commeth nigh shall be put to death Vzziah will come to the Altar with a Censor in his hand to offer Incense Why is this an offence to offer to the Lord Yes GOD makes it manifest Vzziah is a Leper to his dying day God had coÌ„manded the Prophet sent to Bethel Thou shalt eate no bread and drinke no water there Well he is going homewards and an old Prophet ouer-takes him perswades him to refresh himselfe No saies the other I must not For so was it charged me in the Word of the Lord Thou shalt eate no bread c. But sayes the old Prophet An Angell spake to me saying Bring him backe that he may eate bread Well he goes Is not a Prophets word an Angels word authoritie enough No the Lord proues it he giues a Lion leaue to slay him Bee not deceiued God is not mocked The Iewes knew that they ought not to despise their Messias He is come Loe now they study arguments against him Iohn 7. Wee know this man whence hee is but when Christ commeth no man knoweth whence hee is And Search and looke for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Be these their cauills against Gods expresse charge Hee answers all vvhen he leaues their house vnto them desolate I hope I may take a little sayes â—…ehazi but enough tooke him for it a continuall Leproâ—…e The euill Seruant hath his plea Math. 25. I knew that thou wert a hard man c. Therefore I hid thy talent in the earth loe there thou hast that is thine But what followes ver 30 Cast yee that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of â—…eeth To come from example to application It is Gods coÌ„mand concerning Princes Touch not mine Anointed The Papists will touch them with the hand of death VVhy they haue warrant from the Pope Gods Word saies not so either in precept or precedent If any King in Gods booke had beene deposed by a Priest all the Schooles and Pulpits would haue rung of it wee should haue had no rule with the Church of Rome But it falls out happily Ut quod praecepto non iubetur etiam exemplo careat That as it is not commanded by charge so nor commended by examples But will they still argue for this shedding of the bloud-royall The gallhouse confutes them heere but their worst confutation vvill be confusion hereafter God sayes thou shalt not put thy money to vsury thou hast found out many distinctions to satisfie thy conscience or rather thy couetousnesse Gods word thy will are at oddes He sayes Thou shalt not thou sayest thou may est On these and these termes Hell fire shall decide the question Relieue the poore saith the Lord. Thou suckest their blouds rather but howsoeuer wilt giue nothing Why may we not doe with our owne vvhat wee list Well
shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne vpon thine owne head So the Lord to Mount Seir Ezek. 35. As thou didst reioyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel when it was desolate So will I doe vnto thee thou shalt be desolate O Mount Seir. Yea verse 14. When the whole earth reioyceth I will make thee desolate Prou. 1. Wisedome cryeth fooles laugh therefore saith she I will also laugh at your calamiâ—…y I will mocke when your feare commeth This is verse 31. to bee filled with their owne deuices to eate the fruite of their owne way to reape of their owne sowing Thus was Gods Law Eye for eye tooth for tooth Lex talionis Bloud for bloud So â—…bels bloud spilt on the earth cryes for the bloud of Cain that runs in his murtherous veines Nature is offended and must be pacified and no pacification can wash the Lambe from bloud but their bloud that shed it Iustice must cause them that haue sowed bloud to reape bloud The example of Adoni-bezek is most obseruable Iudges 1. Iudah and Simeon warring against the Cananites surprised Adoni-bezek and cut off his thumbes and his great toes And Adoni-bezek said Three score and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me Thus is wickednesse recompensed suo genere in it owne kind So often the transgressor is against the transgressor the theefe robs the theefe Proditor is proditor As in Rome many vnchristened Emperours and many christned Popes by bloud and treason got the Soueraignty and by bloud and treason lost it Euill men drinke of their owne brewing are scourged with their owne rod drowned in the pit which they digged for others As Haman was hanged on his owne Gallowes Perillus tormented in his owne Engine Nec enim lex iustior vllâ—… est Quà m necis artifices arte perire sua Thus they reape in kind Now In Proportion The Punishment is apted to the qualitie of the Sinne. Adam at first did eate in wantonnesse Adam shall therefore eate in paine He excuseth his offence with a bold forehead therefore in the sweat of his forehead he shall eate his bread The womans eye lusted therefore in her eye teares She longed then against Grace she shall long now against Nature She ouer-ruled her husband before he shall ouer-rule her now Man hath the preeminence and her desire shall bee subiect to him Should be though in all it is not but lightly when Eue ouer-rules Adam the Deuill is in the businesse To trace along the passages of holy Scriptures in this point about Proportion The ambition of Babel-builders was punished with ridiculousnesse Chaâ—… offending against naturall reuerence was damned to seruitude As it was but an easie iudgement vpon Hâ—…ricus 5. Emperour of Germanie that had deposed his naturall Father to haue no naturall Sonne Sodome was burned with fire vnnaturall that had burned with lusts vnnaturall Lots wife abusing her sense lost her sense became a senselesse Pillar She would looke backe therefore she shall not looke forward she turned before therefore now shall not stirre 〈◊〉 ibi reâ—…sit Thus Absolons folly was the recompence of Dauids adultery He had slaine Vriah with the sword and the sword shall not depart from his house Salomon deuides Gods Kingdome his owne Kingdome shall be deuided Because Pharaoh drowned the male children of the Hebrewes in â—…iuer himselfe and his Aegyptian Host shall be drowned in a Red Sea Diues would not giue Lazarus a crumme Lazarus shall not bring Diues a droppe Desider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui non dedit micam There is fit Proportion betwixt a crumme of bread and a droppe of water The tongue of that Rich man that had consumed so much belly-cheere and turned downe so many tunnes of wine shall not now procure one pot of water not a handfull not a droppe In his tongue he sinned in his tongue hee is tormâ—…d Iudas was the instrument of his Masters death Iudas shall bee the instrument of his owne death Insolent 〈◊〉 vowed to enprison conquered Tamberlaine in a cage of yron and to carry him vp and downe the world in triumph But Tamberlaine conquering that Turke triumphed ouer him iust in the same fashion Those two monsters of the age Pope Alexander 6. and his darling Borgias that had bathed their hands in so much bloud were at last by the errour of a cup-bearer poysoned themselues out of those very bottles wherewith they would haue poisoned the Cardinalls Behold the Proportion punishments respondent to the sinnes Here is sufficient cause to make the wicked tremble God hath proportioned out a iudgement for their sins Man by his wickednesse cuts out a garment of confusion for his owne backe I know that this kind of punishing is not alwayes executed in this world Gods temporall Iudgements are like our Quarter Sessions kept here and there Some much yea most is reserued for another world If all sinne were punished here we should looke no further But Tophet is ordained of old the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it If no sinne were punished here man would not beleeue Gods power But some is So that a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous Uerily there is a God that iudgeth in the earth Thinke of that lower future place ye wicked and the heauy Proportion that must there be measured you Here you haue sowne in your Seed-time there you must reape your haruest Let the Idolater thinke of this hee hath thrust God out of his throne God will thrust him out of his Kingdome The drunkard that abuseth so â—…uch wine must there want a little water The Vsurer shall be there bound faster with the bonds of torment then hee hath formerly bound poore men with his obligations The Couetous that had no pitie shall not be pitied Hee shall haue iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy The Lustfull shall burne with a new fire The Malicious shall finde no further cause of enuie Uaeridentibus they that laughed shall now weepe and that as Rachel for their ioyes neuer to bee comforted Hee that soweth iniquity shall reape vanity I list not to enter discourse of those infernall horrors I may say with the Poet if I had a hundred tongues and a voyce of yron Non Omnia pâ—…narum percurrere nomina posâ—… I could not run through the names of those endlesse torments It is a fearefull place God send vs al neuer to know more of it then by heresay Where Spirits are the tormentors Damnation the fire the breath of an offended God the bellowes shrieking and gnashing of teeth the musike the effect of impatient furie And all these terrours perfected by their eternity we commonly say in misery If it were not for hope the heart would burst here is no hope and
sowsed in a deluge and then after Noahs sacrifice is said to Smell a sauour of rest For this cause they had their Altar of Incense and God commanded a Perfume to be made to him The Lord said to Moses Take vnto thee sweet spices Stacte and Onicha and Galbanum with pure frankincense and thou shalt make it a Perfume pure and holy Both signified that we all stunke by nature and are onely perfumed by the Incense of Christs prayers and righteousnes 2. It is offensiue to his Tasting I looked after all my paines and kindnesse for good grapes and the Vine brought forth wilde grapes When hee comes to taste the vintage of our sinnes they are sowre grapes Yee turne iudgment into wormwood Iustice is pleasant vnto the Lord but iniurie bitter as wormewood So the Iewes serued Christ in stead of wine they gaue him vineger to drink He turned their water into wine they turne his wine into vineger Good workes of faith and obedience are that best wine which we should giue our Beloued that goeth downe sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak But euill deeds are sowre to his palate 3. It is offensiue to his Feeling so sharp that the Speare Thornes Whips and Nailes were blunt to it Our iniquities were so heauy to his sense that he plaines himselfe burdened vnder them as a Cart is pressed with sheaues The Lord of heauen lay groueling on the earth and as if he were cast into a furnace of his Fathers wrath sweating drops of bloud They are so harsh still to his feeling that he challengeth Saul for wounding himselfe Why strikest thou me Saul strikes at Damascus Iesus Christ suffers in heauen 4. It is offensiue to his Hearing The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great because their sinne is very grieuous Our dissensions and quarrels are as iarring in Gods eares as if diuers distracted Musicians should play vpon diuers bad Instrument so many seuerall tunes at one time The confusion of sinnes brought the confusion of languages Gods eare could not endure the distraction of their harts therefore their owne eares shall not distinguish the dissonance of their voyces The cry of bloud and oppression makes so grieuous a noyse to heauen that vengeance must onely quiet it Our murmurings our oathes blasphemies slanders are like the croking of frogs howling of dogs and hissing of serpents in Gods hearing 5. It is offensiue to his Seeing Though thou vvash thee with Nitre yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. Our oppressions are like running vlcers our adulteries as most sordid and filthy things The Prophet compares it to the most feculent defilement lothsome turpitude that can be vttered Thou art of purer eyes then to behold euill and canst not looke on iniquity O let vs abhorre that filthinesse which will turne the face of God from vs. Neyther are they displeasing onely to his senses but grieuous to his minde Is it a small thing for you to grieue men but you will grieue God also It is dangerous to anger him that can anger all the veines of our hearts It was the Prophet Esay's complaint of Israel They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Yea they are offensiue to his very soule Your new Moones and appointed feasts my soule hateth This he protesteth against recidiuation Heb. 10. 38. If any man draw back my soule shal haue no pleasure in him This is an emphaticall speech and an argument of Gods hearty detestation The wicked and him that loueth violence his soule hateth Therefore he is said to bend his Soule to reuenge Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this 2. Sowre to the Angels for if they reioyce at our conuersion then they grieue at our peruersion How sowre is that sinne which brings griefe vnto the thresholds of ioy They blush at our falls reioyce at our integrity Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth for them who shall be the heyres of saluation Let vs then feast them with integrity not with the leauen of iniquity 3. Sowre to the Saints the Church is our Mother and shee laments to see any childe of her wombe auerse from goodnes Therefore as a louing Mother whose husband was slaine for the safety of her selfe children if she sees any childe transgresse the rules and breake her husbands Testament she tels them of their Fathers kindnesse she describes his deadly wounds and gastly lookes and to make their facts more odious shee sheweth some garment of his embrued with bloud So the Church often offers to our considerations how Christ her deare Loue and Lord was betrayed condemned crucified tels vs our sinnes haue done this that they were the Iudas betraying the Herod mocking the Pilate condemning the Longinus wounding the band of Iewes re-crucifying Christ. Now as Dâ—…do adiur'd departing Aeneas Per ego te has lacrymas c. Per si quid vnquam Dulce fuit nobis horum miserere laborum So our Mother intreats vs yet intreating is too low a phrase for a Mother per talem cruorem per tantum amorem by so precious bloud and by so gracious loue to sinne no more at least to abhor such precipices of sinne and forbeare as it were to choake him with such cursed Leauens 4. Sowre to the sinner himselfe for it euer leaues behinde it a sting of conscience It may taste pleasing and palatable at first but Leuen is not sowrer at last Perhaps our iudgements may be out of taste as men in feuers or Satan that crafty Apothecary hath mingled the potion cunningly yet though saporem amisit venenum retinet poyson is poyson though it come in a golden cup. Esaus pottage went downe merrily but the losse of his birth-right was a bitter farewell Whatsoeuer seruice sin doth vs it shewes vs but an ill-fauoured tricke at the last It brings vs to the dore of Terror and then bids vs shift for our selues It is like Lysimachus his draught of cold water that refreshes him for a moment and captiues him for euer By Salomons rule vexation is intailed to vanity A hedgehogge must dwell in Babylon a pricking Conscience in a prophane brest Thy way anâ—… thy doings haue procured these things vnto thee this is thy wickednes because it is bitter because it reacheth vnto thine heart Salomon hath the like promotion Reioyce O young man in thy youth c. but know that for all these things God will bring thee into iudgement The verse begins with pleasure but ends with terror Sinne will be sowre at the last The Allegory thus opened the speciall treasure or Instruction remaines yet to bee drawne out Wee perceiue what the Leuen signifies and what the Lumpe Now wee must consider the relation betwixt modicum and totum a little Leuen and the whole lumpe A little Leauen leueneth the whole lumpe A little sinne infecteth a great
to dispense vvith it Thou shalt not worship an Idoll no not to saue my life Not to saue life as those three seruants of God professed to Nebuchadnezzar If the God wee serue will not deliuer vs yet we will not serue thy gods nor worship thy golden image Thou sayest Minimum est it is little but in minimis fidelem esse magnum est to be faithfull in a little is no little vertue Well done good seruant thou had beene faithfull in a little therfore I will make thee ruler ouer much Hee that is not carefull in a little is not to bee trusted for more If any man will corrupt his conscience for a pound what would he doe for a thousand If Iudas will sell his Master for thirty pence about some 22. shillings of our money what would he haue sold for the Treasury God neuer gaue a Non obstante for sinne The Pope indeed giues Buls and Indulgences Pardons for cursed works before their perpetration but God neuer allowes leaue to doe ill The Pope sayes Kill an hereticall King God sayes Touch him not woe to that soule who takes the Popes word before the Lords word God charged a Prophet that he should eate no bread nor drinke water in Bethel Another Prophet came saying An Angell spake to me blessed Angels speake truth nay more hee spake by the word of the Lord. Bring him backe that hee may eate bread and drinke water He did so but marke the euent returning home a Lyon slew him by the way Beleeue not a man beleeue not a Pope beleeue not a Prophet beleeue not an Angell against the word of the Lord. Let vs refuse iniquity in what extenuation of quantitie or colour of qualitie soeuer it be offerd vs. For sinne is like a bemired dog if it fawnes on vs it foules vs. And the least sinne is like a little leake in a shippe which if it be not stopped will sinke the whole vessell The Frenchmen haue a military Prouerbe The losse of a nayle the losse of an Army The want of a nayle looseth the shooe the losse of a shooe troubles the horse the horse indangereth the rider the rider breaking his ranke molests the company so farre as to hazard the whole Army From slender and regardlesse beginnings grow out these fatall and destructiue effects The dores are shut the theefe cannot enter a little boy is put in at the window and he opens the dore for the great thiefe so the house is robbed A charme is cast in at the window eye or eare that quickly vnlocks the dore of the heart till all the roomes be ransak't not a peece of vertue or one gemme of grace left Pompey marching to the warres requested to lodge his Army in a certaine Citie by whose borders he must needs passe the Gouernour answered that he would not trouble his Citie with so numerous and dangerous a guest Pompey then desired but entertainement and reliefe for his sicke souldiours who were perishing for want of succour the Gouernour thought sicke men could do them no mischiefe this was granted they admitted Being there a while they recouered their health opened the gates to the rest so became strong enough to take the Citie If Satan cannot get leaue for his whole Army of lusts yet he begs hard for his weake ones as sinnes of infirmitie but those sickly souldiours soone get strength to surprise the soule The trees of the Forrest held a solemne Parliament wherin they consulted of the innumerable wrongs which the Axe had done them therefore made an Act that no tree should hereafter lend the Axe a helme on paine of being cut downe The Axe trauels vp downe the Forrest begs wood of the Cedar Oke Ash Elme euen to the Poplar not one would lend him a chip At last he desired so much as would serue him to cut downe the bryers and bushes alledging that those shrubs did suck away the iuyce of the ground hinder the growth and obscure the glory of the faire and goodly Trees Hereon they were content to afford him so much when he had gotten his helme he cut downe themselues too These be the subtle reaches of sinne giue it but a little aduantage on the faire promises to remooue thy troubles and it will cut downe thy soule also Therefore Obsta principijs trust it not in the least Consider a sinne as indeed it is a crucifying of Christ wilt thou say I may crucifie Christ a little I may scourge his flesh wound his side pierce his heart a little What man loues the Lord Iesus who would either say it or doe it Consider thy falling into sinne a hurling of thy selfe downe from some high pinacle wilt thou say I may breake my necke a little Consider it a casting thy selfe into vnquenchable fire wilt thou say I may burne my soule and body a little As suffering wee thinke the least misery too great so sinning let vs thinke the least iniquitie too great So auoiding also little sinnes we shall finde great fauour with Iesus Christ. Amen FAITHS ENCOVRAGEMENT LVKE 17. 19. And he said vnto him Arise goe thy way thy faith hath made thee whole THESE words were spoken by our Sauiour Christ to the penitent and faithfull Leper For induction I will obserue two remarkeable circumstances preceding my Text. First that Christ did mend him and then commend him hee did purge him and praise him 1. Hee mended him curing first his body then his soule His body of the Leprosie a disease not more lothsome to endure then hard to cure The difficulty of healing it appeares by the answere of the King of Israel vpon the receit of the King of Syria's letters Am I God to kill and make aliue that this man doth send vnto me to recouer a man of his Leprosie intimating that onely God is able to cure the Leprosie His soule of the spirituall Leprosie and this was the perfection of health For this cure the Prophet so earnestly prayes Sana animam Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee This is a supernaturall cure fit onely for the great Physician of soules to performe the more difficult Quo minus in natura sit quod profit because nature hath no influence in her starres no minerals in her earth no herbes in her garden that can heale it 2 Hee commends him of all the ten cleansed there are none found that returned to giue glory to God saue this stranger God had his Tythe there whence he might least expect it Now what doth Christ commend him for For his thankefulnesse for his humility for his faith why these graces were Christs owne doth hee praise him for that himselfe had giuen him Yes this is Gods custome Sua dona coronat hee crownes his owne graces hee rewards his owne gifts Which teacheth how wee should vnderstand Reward in the Scripture Call the labourers and giue them their hire Whosoeuer
Court who often fed vs in the countrey Or if wee vouchsafe to acknowledge them as friends we will not as Sutors Hereon was the verse made Quisquis in hoc mundo cunctis vult gratus haberi Det Capiat Quaerat Plurima Pauca Nihil He that would be of worldly men well thought Must alwayes Giue Take Beg Much Litle Nought Men cannot brooke poore friends This inconstant charitie is hatefull as our English phrase premonisheth Loue me Little and Loue me Long. 3. This Sicut Refines Our loue Walke in loue as Christ loued vs. Where As is not onely similitudinary but causall Loue because Christ loued vs for this cause as after this maner Which serues to putrifie our loue to purge it from corruption and to make it perfect Dilectio Dei nosfacit diligibiles diligentes both such as God can loue and such as can loue God For it is the loue of Christ to vs that works a loue to Christ in vs. A man will euer loue that medicine that hath freed him from some desperate disease Christs Loue hath healed vs of all our sores and sinnes let vs honour and loue this medicine compounded of so precious simples water and bloud And let vs not onely affectionately embrace it our selues but let vs inuite others to it Come and harken all ye that feare God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule Christ. I haue beene so punctuall in this word of Qualitie that I can but mention the rest The word of Maiestie is Christ who being almightie God coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Spirit tooke on him our nature and was factus homo vt pro homine pacaret Deum God was made man that for man he might appease God Thus did so great a maiestie stoupe low for our loue Non exuendo quod habuit sed induendo quod non habuit not by loosing what he had but by accepting what he had not our miserable nature Ipse dilexit nos Tantus tantum gratis tantillos tales Hee that was so great loued so greatly vs that were so poore and vnworthy freely Loued Is that word of Mercy that reconciles so glorious a God to so vngracious sinners The cause which moued Christ to vndertake for vs was no merite in vs but meere mercy inhim He Loued vs because he loued vs in our Creation when we could not loue him in our Redēption when we would not loue him Loued vs notbutthat he loueth vs stil. But the Apostle speaks in this time to distinguish the loue wherewith he now loueth vs from that whereby he once Loued vs. For if when wee were enemies we were reconciled to God by his death much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life Though it be also true that from euerlasting he Loued vs. Vs Is the word of Miserie Vs hee loued that were so wretched The word is indefinite Us all vs. Vs be wee neuer so vnworthy All vs be wee neuer so many 1. Vs that were vnworthy of his loue from whom he expected no correspondence That hee loued the blessed Angels was no wonder because they with winged obedience execute his hests and doe his word Yea that he loued his very reason-lesse and insensible creatures is not strange for fire and haile snow and vapour stormy wind and tempest fulfill his word But to loue vs that were weake vngodly sinners enemies Rom. 5 weake no strength to deserue vngodly no pietie to procure sinners no righteousnes to satisfie enemies no peace to atone for wee hated him and all his yee shall be hated of all men for my names sake To loue such vs was an vnexpectable a most mercifull Loue. Hee that wanted nothing loued vs that had nothing Immortall eternitie loued mortall dust and ashes O if a man had Ora mille fluentia melle yea the tongues of Angels he could not sufficiently expresse this loue So God loued the world Mundum immundum the vncleane world that not onely not receiued him but euen crucified and killed him 2 All of vs without acception of persons This is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world The Gospell proclaimes an vniuersall Si quis Whosoeuer beleeues and is baptised shall be saued Qui seipsum excipi◅ se ipsum decipit He that excepts himselfe beguiles his owne soule Hence I find three inferences obseruable which I will commend to your consciences and your consciences to God Dilecti diligamus Dilectos Diligentes 1. We are loued our selues therefore let vs loue He that bids vs loue loued vs first This is my Commandement that yee loue one another Why As I loued you Non aliud iussit quam gessit he chargeth vs with nothing in precept which he performed not in practise Therefore Si tardi su◅us ad ◅andum non tardi simus ad redamandum Though we haue not beene forward to loue first let vs not be backward to returne loue Dilecti diligite If God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Magnes amoris amor and the sole requitall which God requires for his rich loue is our poore loue that onely may loue him but haue nothing to giue him that is not his 2. They are beloued whom thou art charged to loue He that bids vs loue others loues them himselfe It is fit we should loue those whom Christ loues If thou loue Christ thou art bound to loue others because he loues them yea with that very same loue wherewith he loues thee Therefore Dilectos diligamus 3. They also loue God whom God commands thee to loue The loue of Christ is so shed abroad into all Christian hartes that they vnfainedly affect Iesus their Sauiour They loue him whom thou louest therefore loue them It is fit we should loue them highly that loue God heartily Therefore Diligentes diligamus Thus you haue heard Loues Walke or Race now then sayth Paul So runne that you may obtaine I will end with an Apologue an Epilogue a Parable Charitie and certaine other her riualls or indeed enemies would runne a race together The Prize they all ranne for was Felicitie which was held vp at the Gaoles end by a bountifull Lady called Eternitie The runners were Pride Prodigalitie Enuie Couetousnes Lust Hypocrisie and Loue. All the rest were either diuerse or aduerse neighbours or enemies to Charitie I will Herald-like shew you their seuerall equipage how they begin the Race and end it 1. Pride you know must be formost and that comes out like a Spanyard with daring lookes and a tongue thundring out braues mounted on a spritely Iennet named Insolence His Plumes and Perfumes amaze the beholders eyes and nosthrils He runnes as if he would ouerthrow Gyants and Dragons yea euen the great Red-Dragon if he encountred him and with his lance burst open heauen gates But his Iennet stumbles and downe comes Pride You know