A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 33

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 33

p. 454THE ANGEL OF THYATIRA ENDITED. A Sermon preached at the Croſſe, Anno 1614. THE XXXIII. SERMON.

REVEL. 2.18, 19, 20.

And to the Angel of the Church in Thyatira, write, Theſe things, ſaith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine braſſe:

19. I know thy workes, and charity, and ſervice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy workes, and the laſt to be more than the firſt.

20. Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt that woman Jezebel, which calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, to teach and ſeduce my ſervants to commit fornication, and to eate things ſacrificed unto Idols.

Right Honourable, &c.

Apoc. 1.12.Rev 1:12IF the ſeven golden Candleſtickes which Saint John ſaw, were illuſtrious types and glorious emblemes of all ſucceeding Chriſtian Churches, as many learned Commentatours upon this myſterious propheſie conceive, and the ſeven Letters written to the ſeven Churches of Aſia immediatly repreſented by them, as well appertaine to us in the autumne, for whom, as to thoſe prime-roſes that appeared in the ſpring of Chriſtian piety and religion, to whom they were directed: wee may without ſcruple ſeize on this indorſed to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira, breake open the ſeales, and peruſe the contents thereof, which ſeem better to ſort with the preſent ſtate of our Church, than of any that at this day beares the name of Chriſtian. p. 455Wherefore I make bold to unfold it, and altering a word only in the ſuperſcription, thus I reade and expound it in your eares, and pray God to ſeale it up in your hearts.

To the Angel that is Guardian, Centinell, or chiefe Watchman of the Church of England, thus writeth the Sonne of God by eternall generation, who hath eyes like a flame of fire to enlighten the darkeſt corners of the heart, and diſcover the moſt hidden thoughts: and his feet like fine braſſe, moſt pure, that can tread upon none but holy ground.

I know thy workes to be many, and thy love to be entire, and thy ſervice to be faithfull, and thy faith to be ſound, and thy patience to bee invincible, and thy workes, and the laſt to be more than the firſt. The faire and magnificent Colledges lately founded, and Churches ſumptuouſly repaired, and Libraries rarely furniſhed, and Schooles richly endowed, and Students in the Univerſities liberally maintained, and the poore in Hoſpitals charitably relieved, are ſtanding teſtimonies and living evidences thereof: Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, that thou ſufferest the woman that ſitteth upon ſeven hils, the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth, Jezabel of Rome, which calleth her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, and Miſtreſſe of all Prophets and Propheteſſes, by Prieſts and Jeſuites to teach and deceive my ſervants, to make them commit ſpirituall fornication, and freely communicate with Idolaters; and I gave her ſpace to repent, ſixty yeers at leaſt, that ſhe might not complain that I began with violent & extreme courſes, and launced her wounds whileſt they were greene; but all this while ſhe hath not repented of her Superſtitions and abominable Idolatries: therefore I will lay it heavie upon her, I will ſend plague after plague, and heape ſorrow upon ſorrow, and adde affliction to affliction; and if all will not ſerve, I will poure out the dregges of my red wine on her, and quench the fire of my wrath with her ſtained bloud. I will kill her children with death, and all the Churches ſhall know that I am hee that ſearcheth deep into the wounds of the heart and reines, and diſcover filthineſſe & corruption in the inward parts; and I will give unto every one according to his workes; but unto you I ſay, and to the reſt in great Britaine, as many as have not this doctrine of the Romiſh Jezabel, and which have not knowne the depths of Sathan her myſteries of iniquity, I will put upon you no other burden of Lawes or Canons but that which you have already: Hold faſt till I come to judgement.

In this Letter obſerve we

1. The ſuperſcription myſterious, Ver. 18.

2. The contents various, preſenting to our religious thoughts

1. A ſweet inſinuation, Ver. 19.

2. A ſharpe reprehenſion, Ver. 20, 21.

3. A fearfull commination, Ver. 22, 23.

4. A comfortable concluſion, Ver. 24.

p. 456In the ſuperſcription wee have an admirable deſcription of the glorified body of our Redeemer, which ſhineth more brightly than a flame of fire, or the fineſt metall glowing in the furnace: Secondly, an eminent title attributed to the Biſhop or Super-intendent of the Church in Thyatira: The Angel.

To the Angel in Thyatira, ſaith the Sonne of God, who hath eyes like a flame of fire, toaaBullengerus in hunc locum. Illuminat alios, alios igne ſempiterno concremat. inlighten the godly, and burne up the ungodly: and feet like braſſe, to ſupport his Church, and bruiſe the enemies thereof, I know thy workes, proceeding from thy love, and thy love teſtified by thy ſervice, and thy ſervice approved by thy faith, and thy faith tryed by thy patience; and that the ſilver ſprings of thy bounty have more overflowed at the laſt, than at the firſt. Thus farre the ſweet inſinuation, which afterwards falls into a ſharpe reprehenſion, like as the ſweet riverbbSolinus c. 20. Hypanis Scythicorum amnium princeps hauſtu ſaluberrimus, dum in Exampeum fontem inferatur, qui amnem ſuo vitio vertit. Hypanis into the bitter fountaine Exampeus. Notwithstanding I have an action againſt thee, that thou ſufferest the filthy Strumpet Jezebel to corrupt the bodies and ſoules of my ſervants, by permitting corporall fornication to them, and committing ſpirituall with them, whoſe judgement ſleepeth not, no not in her bed, but even there ſhall ſurpriſe her. For behold, I will caſt her into a bed: where ſhe hath caſt her ſelfe in wantonneſſe, I will caſt her in great weakneſſe, and will make her bed of pleaſure a racke to torment her: Ubi peccavit punietur, where ſhe ſwilled in her ſtolne waters that relliſhed ſo ſweet in her mouth, ſhee ſhall take downe her bitter potion; Ubi oblectamentum ibi tormentum. Of which plagues of Jezebel, when God ſhall open the vials mouth: at this time I purpoſe to gather ſome few obſervations from the two former branches of this Scripture; but to inſiſt wholly upon the third: in the explication whereof, when I have proved by invincible arguments that Jezebel is not to be tolerated; in the application I will demonſtrate that the Pſeudo-catholike Romane Church, otherwiſe called the Whore of Babylon, is Jezebel, or worſe, if worſe may bee: as God ſhall aſſiſt mee with his Spirit, and endue mee with power from above, for which I beſeech you all to joyn with mee in prayer.

O moſt gracious God, &c.

And to the Angel of the Church in Thyatira, write, &c. The Naturaliſts obſerve, that the thickeſt and beſt hony is that which is ſqueezed laſt out of the combe: and uſually the daintieſt diſh is ſerved in at the laſt courſe; and Muſicians reſerve the ſweeteſt ſtraine for their cloſe: and Rhetoricians take ſpeciall care of their peroration. The laſt ſpeech of a dying friend leaves a deep impreſſion in our hearts; and art, imitating nature, holdeth out the laſt note of the dying ſound in the organ or voice: which conſideration ſhould ſtirre up our religious thoughts and affections to entertain with greateſt alacrity and ſingular reſpect the admonitions and prophecies delivered in this booke, as being the laſt words of our Lords laſt will and teſtament, ddSen. ep. 12. Gratiſsima ſunt poma cùm fugiunt, deditos vino potatio extrema delectu, &c.and the laſt breath as it were of the Spirit of God. If that of the Poet be true, that the beames of the ccEſſe Phoebi dulcius ſolet lumen jamjam cadentis.Sunne ſhine moſt pleaſantly at his ſetting, how pleaſant and deare ought the light of this Propheticall booke be unto us, which is the laſt irradiation and gliſſoning of the Sunne of righteouſneſſe? In it diſcerne we may

p. 4571. Counſels, chapt. 2.3.

2. Predictions of the ſtate of the Church.

1. Militant, from the 4^th to the 21.

2. Triumphant, from the 21. to the end.

The manner of delivery of both to Saint John, was by ſpeciall revelation; which you will better conceive, if you be pleaſed to take notice of the meanes, whereby all knowledge divine and humane is conveighed into the ſoule. As all water ariſeth either from Springs below, or falleth from the Clouds above; ſo all knowledge is either gathered from the creatures by naturall reaſon, grounded upon experience, or immediately deſcendeth from the Father of lights, and is attained unto by ſupernaturall illumination.

Supernaturall illumination is either

1. By ordinary inſpiration, common to all the Pen-men of the holy Ghoſt, who wrote the dictates of the Spirit, and were ſo aſſiſted by him, that they could not ſet downe any thing amiſſe.

2. By extraordinary revelation; which may be either

1. Of things paſt, whereof there remaine no records, monuments, or memorialls to furniſh the writer of them: ſuch was the ſtory of Geneſis before the Floud, whereof Moſes could bee no otherwiſe infallibly enformed, than by Gods revealing them unto him.

2. Of things to come, which is properly termed prophecy; and this may be either

1. By inſtinct, when men or women fore-tell things to come, not knowing the certainty, or being fully perſwaded of the things themſelves.

2. Per raptum, or raviſhing of Spirit, when they fore-tell ſuch things, whereof they are infallibly aſſured, either

1. By voice, as Moſes was.

2. By dreame, as Daniel.

3. By viſion, as Eſay, Ezekiel, Zechary, and other Prophets.

By inſtinct I am eaſily induced to beleeve, that many, eſpecially before their death, may fore-tell many things that come to paſſe ſhortly after; and I deny not but ſome alſo may per raptum, as I am perſwaded John Hus did before his martyrdome in thoſe words, which are ſtampt in the coyne of thoſe dayes yet to be ſeen: Centum revolutis annis reſpondebitis Deo & mihi, after a hundred yeeres you ſhall bee called to an accompt for theſe things: about which time they were openly challenged for them by Martin p. 458Luther, and other zealous Reformers. Yet are wee not to build our Chriſtian faith upon any propheſies, ſave thoſe only which holy men have ſet downe in Scripture, as they were guided by the holy Ghoſt. Among which this is to bee ranked, which Saint John received not from man or Angel, but from eeCap. 1. V. 9, 10.Jeſus Chriſt; not per inſtinctum, but per raptum, as himſelfe teſtifieth: I John, which alſo am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdome and patience of Jeſus Chriſt, was in the Iſle of Patmos, for the word of God, and for the teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt. I was in the ſpirit on the Lords day, and heard behind mee a great voice as of a Trumpet. Note wee herein, that Saint John received this revelation in his exile or baniſhment, to teach us, that Gods ſervants may be baniſhed out of their native ſoyle, and the Court of Princes, but not out of the Catholicke Church, or the preſence of God. Secondly, Saint John received this propheſie as he was in the ſpirit, to intimate unto us, that this booke is of a ſpirituall interpretation. Thirdly, he received it on the Lords day, to leſſon us, that God moſt bleſſeth our meditations on this day; and that they muſt bee at peace with him, and free from worldly cares and buſineſſe, who expect revelations from him.

For the title of the booke of Apocalypſe, or Revelation, it is taken either from the manner whereby it came to Saint John before mentioned, or from the matter herein contained, which is myſticall, hidden, and for the moſt part of things future, very obſcure before the event and iſſue manifeſt them, not from Saint Johns manner of expreſſing them: for that for the moſt part is very intricate. For, as Plato ſometimes ſpake of an obſcure example, Exemplum, O hoſpes, eget exemplo, You had need to illuſtrate your example by another example; ſo of all the bookes in Scripture the booke of Revelation moſt needs a revelation and cleare expoſition: in which, as Saint Jerome hath obſerved, Quot verba, tot Sacramenta, there are neere as many myſteries and figures, and aenigmaticall expreſſions, as words: for this is the booke ſpoken of in this booke,ffApoc. 5.1.Rev 5:1 ſealed with ſeven ſeales, anſwerable to the ſeven letters encloſed in it, directed to the ſeven Churches of Aſia, to Epheſus, Smyrna, Sardis, Pergamus, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, which names are as it were a ſmall table and ſhort draught of the lineaments of theſe Churches. As Irenaeus his peaceable temper, and Lactantius his milkie veine, and Euſebius his piety, and Chryſoſtomes golden mouth; and contrariwiſe Jacobs ſubtilty, and Edoms cruelty, and Nabals folly, and Seneca his end, Se necans.and Proteſilaus his deſtiny were written in their names:

ggOvid. ep.Proteſilae tibi nomen ſic fata dedêre,

victima quod Troiae prima futurus eras.

ſo the ſpeciall and moſt noted vertues and vices in theſe Churches may bee read by the learned in the Greeke tongue in their names. I dare not affirme, that the holy Ghoſt either impoſed or made choice of theſe names, to intimate any ſuch thing; eſpecially, becauſe theſe names were given to theſe Cities, before they gave their names to Chriſt. Neither doe we reade, that theſe names at the firſt were put upon theſe Townes by men endued with a Propheticall ſpirit; but by their Heathen Founders or Governours: yet is p. 459the correſpondency between theſe names, and the condition of theſe Churches at the time when Saint John, as Chriſt his amanuenſis, wrote theſe letters to them, very remarkable: and they may ſerve the learned as places in artificiall memory, to fixe the character of theſe Churches in them.

1. By the name Epheſus, ſo termed, quaſi foreign, or foreign, ſignifying remiſſion or ſlacking, they may bee put in minde of ſlacking or back-ſliding, wherewith the Spirit upbraideth this Church,hhCap. 2. Ver. 4. Thou haſt left thy firſt love: remember whence thou art fallen, and repent.

2. By the name Smyrna, ſignifying lacrymam myrrhae, the dropping or teares of myrrhe, they may be put in mind of theiiVer. 10. cup of teares, which this Angel was to drinke: Yee ſhall have great tribulation for ten dayes.

3. By the name Pergamus, quaſi foreign, or foreign, ſignifying beyond, or out of the bounds of marriage, they may be put in mind of the Nicolaitans abounding in this Church, who were great abuſers ofkkVer. 15. marriage: Thou haſt them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

4. By the name Sardis, quaſi foreign, ſignifying fleſhly, they may be put in minde of many in this Church that werellCap. 3. Ver. 4. fleſhly given: for, as we reade, This Angel had but a few names which had not defiled their garments.

5. By the name Philadelphia, ſignifying brotherly love, they may bee put in minde of this vertue, whoſe proper worke it is, to cover multitude of ſinnes; which becauſe it was eminent in many of this Church, the Spirit covereth all her infirmities, and rebuketh her openly for nothing; but contrariwiſe commendeth her, and promiſeth, becauſe ſhe mmCa. 3. Ver. 10.had kept the word of his patience, to keep her from the houre of temptation.

6. By the name Laodicea, quaſi foreign, ſignifying the righteouſneſſe or cuſtomes of the people, they may bee put in minde of the condition of the common ſort in this Church and elſe-where, who are well conceited of themſelves, though (God knowes) for little cauſe: they imagine that they are very forward in the way that leades to eternall life, that they are rich and encreaſed with goods, and have need of nothing, when indeed (in their ſpirituall eſtate) they are wretched, and miſerable, and blind, and naked: Wherefore the Spirit nnVer. 17.counſelleth them to buy of him gold tryed in the fire, that they may be rich; and white raiment, that they may be clothed, and that the ſhame of their nakedneſſe doe not appeare: And, to annoint their eyes with ooVer. 18.eye-ſalve, that they may ſee.

7. Laſtly, by the name Thyatira, ſo called, foreign, ſignifying to runne mad after, and ſpend ones ſelfe, they may bee put in minde of thoſe in Thyatira, who ranne awhoring after Jezebel, and ſpent their eſtates upon her, and committed filthineſſe with her:Cap. 2. Ver. 20. which becauſe the Angel winked at, the Spirit ſharply reproveth him.

And to the Angel of the Church in Thyatira, write, I know thy workes, &c. Notwithſtanding I have a few things againſt thee, &c. Theſe Verſes reſemble the branches of theppApoc. 22.2.Rev 22:2 tree of life, which bare twelve maner of fruits.

1. The firſt I gather from them is the dignity of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to whom the Son of God writeth, ſtiling them Angels. To the Angel of Epheſus, of Smyrna, &c.

2. The ſecond, the difference of degrees in the Miniſtry: for the Son of p. 460God endorſeth his letter not to the inferiour Miniſters, which were many in each of theſe Churches, but to the Angel, in the ſingular number, the Biſhop or Super-intendent of the place, to whom the government of the Church, and ordering Eccleſiaſticall affaires chiefly, if not onelyonly, appertained.

3. The third is the glorious majeſty and divinity of our Saviour, who was before ſtiled the Sonne of man, but is here called the Sonne of God, and deſcribed with eyes like a flame of fire, piercing through the thickeſt darkneſſe; and with feet like fine braſſe, walking through the midſt of all the Churches, and yet no way defiled, according to the words of the Prophet, theqqHoſ. 14.9.Hos 14:9 waies of the Lord are undefiled.

4. The fourth is mildneſſe in juſt reproofe: the phyſician of our ſoules, who hath cured all our wounds with the ſmart of his, preſcribeth the weak Angel of Thyatira but one pill, and that a gentle one; yet ſee how he rowles it in ſugar; I know thy workes, and thy love, &c. Of many faults he mentioneth but a few, and of thoſe few inſiſteth but upon one.

5. The fifth is the condition of good workes, to which foure things are required; faith, love, ſervice, and patience: they muſt be done in faith, proceed from the love of God, with a deſire to doe him ſervice thereby; and laſtly, the performers of them muſt be conſtant in them, and reſolve patiently to endure all croſſes and oppoſitions from men or Satan, who ſeek to ſtay them in their godly proceedings.

6. The ſixth is growth in grace, or proficiency in godlineſſe: thoſe who were ever good are beſt at the laſt; I know thy workes, that they are more as the laſt than at the firſt.

7. The ſeventh is the ſtate and condition of the Church Militant, which at the beſt is like the Moone at the full, in which wee may diſcerne ſome blacke ſpots. The ſweeteſtrrEraſ. Adag. Omnibus malis punicis putridum granum ineſt. Pomegranet hath ſome rotten graine, the faireſt beauty hath a freckle or wrinckle, the moſt orient Ruby a cloud, and the moſt reformed Church in the Chriſtian world hath ſome deformity in her: In ſſJames 3.1.Jas 3:1many things we offend all, and many in all: they are but a few againſt whom the Sonne of God hath but a few things. Notwithſtanding I have a few things.

8. The eighth is the duty of a Magiſtrate, who like a good Gardener is to plucke up noyſome weeds by the rootes. It is not ſufficient for him to doe no evill; he muſt not ſuffer it: the Angel is not here blamed for any ſin of commiſſion or omiſſion in himſelfe, but for the bare permiſſion of evill in others: I have ſomewhat againſt thee, becauſe thou ſuffereſt.

9. The ninth is a caution to looke to the weaker ſexe: for often the Divell maketh of them ſtrong inſtruments, to diſpread the poyſon of hereſie.ttHieron. ad Cteſ. Simon Magus hereſin condidit Helenae meretricis adjutus auxilio; Nicolaus Antiochenus omnium immunditiarum repertor, choros duxit foemineos, Marcion Romam praemiſit mulierem, quae decipiendos ſibi animos praepararet. Simon Magus had his Helena, Marcion his femall fore-runner, Apelles his Philumena, Montanus his Maximilla, Donatus his Lucillia, Elpidius his Agape, Priſcillian his Galla, Arius the Prince his ſiſter, Nicolaus Antiochenus his feminine troupes and quires, and all Arch-heretickes ſome ſtrumpets or other, to ſerve them for midwives when they were in travell with monſtrous and miſhapen hereſies: Thou ſuffereſt the woman Jezebel. Yet to doe p. 461the ſexe right, I willingly acknowledge with Flacius Illyricus, that as the Divell hath uſed bad women in all times, as Brokers to utter his deceitfull and dangerous wares; ſo God hath made choice of many good women, to be conduits of ſaving grace, and great inſtruments of his glory. Not to goe out of this City of Thyatira for inſtance, we can produce a Lydia for a Jezebel; where the Divell now vented poyſon by the impure mouth of Jezebel, God poured out before the ſweet oyntment of the Goſpel by the mouth of Lydia, whoſe uuActs 16.14.Acts 16:14heart he opened, that ſhee attended to thoſe things which were ſpoken of Paul.

10. The tenth is an obſervation concerning the nature of Hereſie, which fretteth like a canker; and if it be not looked to, corrupteth the ſound members of Chriſt: Thou ſuffereſt the woman Jezebel to ſeduce my ſervants.

11. The eleventh is a conſideration of the odious filthineſſe of Idolatry, which the Scripture termeth the ſoules naughtineſſe, and ſpirituall fornication: To commit fornication.

12. The laſt is a wholſome doctrine concerning the contagion of Idolatry, which not only infecteth our bodies and ſoules, but our meates and drinkes alſo, and turneth the food of the body into the poyſon of the ſoule to ſuch as familiarly converſe and table with Idolaters, and feed upon the reliques of Idols ſacrifices: And to eate things offered unto Idols.

And to the Angel of the Church in Thyatira. Glorious things are ſpoken of you, O yee Miniſters of the Word and Sacraments: Yee are ſtiled Embaſſadours of the King of Heaven, Stewards of the houſhold of faith, Interpreters of the Oracles of God, Diſpenſers of the myſteries of ſalvation, Keepers of the Seales of grace: Yee are the Salt of the earth, the Light of the world, the Starres of the skie, nay, the Angels of Heaven: To the Angel. The Miniſters of the Goſpel reſemble Angels in many things:

1. Angels arexxHeb. 1.14.Heb 1:14 miniſtring ſpirits, and the Preachers of the Goſpel are ſpirituall Miniſters.

2. Angels, according to the derivation of their name in Greeke, areyyMatth. 11.10. Malac. 3.1.Matt 11:10Mal 3:1 meſſengers of God, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel arezz1 John 1.5.1 John 1:5 meſſengers of Chriſt.

3. The dwelling of Angels is in Heaven, and there is or ought to be theaaPhil. 3.20. Our converſation is in heaven.Phil 3:20 converſation of the Miniſters of the Goſpel.

4. The life of Angels is a continuallbbMatth. 18.10Matt 18:10 beholding the face of God; and what is the life of a good Miniſter, but a continuall contemplation of the divine nature, attributes and workes?

5. The Angels gather ccMat. 24.31.Matt 24:31the Elect from the foure windes, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel gather the Church from all corners of the earth.

6. The AngelsddApoc. 16.1.Rev 16:1 poure out the vialls of the wrath of God upon the earth, and the Miniſters are appointed to denounce Gods judgements and plagues to the wicked world.

7. The Angelsee1 Cor. 15 52.1 Cor 15:52 ſound Trumpets at the laſt reſurrection, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel at the firſt.

8. When Chriſt was in an agony,ffLuke 22.43.Luke 22:43 there appeared an Angel ſtrengthening him; and when Gods children are in greateſt extremity, God ſendeth the Miniſters of the Goſpel toggJob 33.23. If there bee a meſſenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thouſand, to ſhew to man his uprightneſſe, &c.Job 33:23 comfort them.

p. 4629. The Angels carry the ſoules of them that dye in the Lord into Abrahams boſome (Luke 16.22.) and the Miniſters of the Goſpel give them their paſſe, and furniſh them with their laſt viaticum.

Now, if it bee demanded why God ſo highly advanceth the dignity of the Miniſtry; I anſwer, to advance his glory: He lifteth up the ſilver Trumpets of Sion on high, that the ſound of his praiſe may be heard the further. As the viſible Sunne caſteth a more radiant and bright beame upon Pearle and Glaſſe, which reflecteth them againe, than upon groſſe and obſcure bodies that dead the rayes thereof; even ſo the Sunne of righteouſneſſe caſteth the faireſt luſtre upon that calling, which moſt of all illuſtrateth his glory. To other vocations God calleth us, but this calleth us unto God: all other lawfull callings are of God, but of this God himſelfe was: and if it bee a great honour to the nobleſt orders of Knighthood on earth, to have Kings and Princes inſtalled into them; how can wee thinke too worthily of that ſacred order, into which the Sonne of God was ſolemnly inveſted by hishhPſal. 110.4.Ps 110:4 Father? I ſpeake nothing to impeach the dignity of any lawfull profeſſion; make much of the Phyſicians of your body, yet not more than of the Phyſicians of your ſoule: yeeld honour and due reſpect to thoſe that are skilfull in the civill and municipall Lawes; yet under-value them not, who expound unto you the Lawes of God. At leaſt take not pride in diſgracing them, who are Gods inſtruments to conveigh grace into your ſoules: grieve not them with your accurſed ſpeeches, who daily bleſſe you: load them not with ſlaunders and calumnies, who by their abſolution and ghoſtly comfort eaſe you of the heavie burden of your ſinnes: goe not about to thruſt them out of their temporall eſtate, who labour by their Miniſtery to procure you an eternall. It is not deſire of popular applauſe, or a ſiniſter reſpect to our owne profit, but the zeale of Gods glory, which extorteth from us theſe and the like complaints againſt you. For if Religion might bee advanced by our fall, and the Goſpel gaine by our loſſes, and God get glory by our diſ-eſteeme, we ſhould deſire nothing rather than to be accounted the off-ſcouring of all things on the earth, that ſo wee might ſhine hereafter like precious ſtones in the foundation of the celeſtiall Jeruſalem. But if the Preachers and the Goſpel, the Word and Sacraments, and the Miniſters thereof: Religion and Prieſts, the Church and Church-men are ſo neere allies, that the diſ-reputation of the one, is a great prejudice to the other, and the diſgrace of the one, the deſpiſing of the other; if the truth wee profeſſe, if our Religion, if the Goſpel, if Chriſt, if God ſuffer in the diſgraces that are put upon our calling, and the manifold wrongs that are done to it, we muſt adjure you for your owne good, and deeply charge you in Gods cauſe, that as you looke to receive any good from him, ſo you take nothing ſacrilegiouſly from the Church; as you hope to be ſaved by the Miniſtery, preſerve the dignity and eſtimation thereof; be not curſed Chams in diſcovering the nakedneſſe of your ghoſtly fathers. Alexander thought that he could not lay too much coſt upon the deske, in which Homers Poems lay; and we daily ſee how thoſe who take delight in muſicke, beautifie and adorn the inſtrument they play upon with varniſh, purfle, gilt painting, and rich lace: in like maner, if you were ſo affected as you ſhould be at the hearing of the Word, if you were raviſhed with the ſweet ſtraines of the ſongs of p. 463Sion, ye would make better reckoning of the Inſtruments and Organs of the holy Spirit, by which God maketh melodie in your hearts: yee would not ſtaine with impure breath the ſilver trumpets of Sion, blowne not with winde, but with the breath of God himſelfe: yee would not trample under foot thoſe Canes that yeeld you ſuch ſtore of Sugar, or rather of Manna.

Yee will be apt enough, upon theſe and the like texts, to teach us our dutie, that we ought, as Meſſengers of God, to deliver his meſſage faithfully, and as neere as we can in his owne words; as Angels to give our ſelves to divine contemplation, and endevour to frame our lives to a heavenly converſation. Let it not then be offenſive to you to heare your dutie, which is as plaine to be read as ours, in the ſtile here attributed to the Paſtour of Laodicea, the Angell. It is that you entertaine your diligent and faithfull Paſtours, as theiiGal. 4.14. Ye received me as an Angel of God, even as Chriſt Jeſus.Gal 4:14 Galathians did St. Paul, and as Monica did St. Ambroſe, tanquam Angelos Dei, as the Angels of God; receive them as Abraham and Lot did the Angels ſent from God unto them, defend them according to your power from wrong, and make them partakers of the beſt things wherewith God hath bleſſed you.

Angelo, to the Angel, in the ſingular number, chiefe Paſtour or Biſhop of the Church. All Miniſters, as I ſhewed you before, may challenge the title of Angels; but eſpecially Biſhops, who watch over other Miniſters, as Angels over men; who are to order the affaires of the Church, and governe the Clergie, as the Peripatetickes teach, that Angels direct and governe the motions of the celeſtiall ſpheres: therefore Epiphanius, and St. Auſtine, and moſt of the later Interpreters alſo, paraphraſe Angelo by Epiſcopo illic conſtituto: and verily the manner of the ſuperſcription, and the contents of the letter, and the forme of governement ſettled in all Churches at this time, make for this interpretation. For ſuppoſing more Miniſters in London of equall ranke and dignitie as there are, who would indorſe a letter on this manner, To the Paſtour of London, unleſſe he meant the Biſhop or chiefe Paſtour? Now it is evident out of the twentieth chapter of the Acts, ver. 17. and all ancient ſtories, that there were divers Miniſters or Presbyters in each of theſe ſeven Churches: He therefore, to whom the letter was addreſſed in particular, to the Angel, could be no other than the Biſhop or Superintendent of the place; who is here blamed for ſuffering Jezebel to teach: which ſheweth that he had Epiſcopall power and authoritie to ſilence and ſuſpend her, or any other erroneous Teacher within his Dioceſſe. What ſhould I adde out ofkkLib. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus; Polycarpus ab Apoſtolis in ea quae eſt Smyrnae Eccleſiâ conſtitutus eſt Epiſcopus, quem nos vidimus in primâ aetate noſtrâ; that the Angell of Smyrna was Biſhop Polycarpus, ordained by the Apoſtles themſelves, whom he himſelfe ſaw in his younger years: Or out ofllIn ep. ad Tit. l. 1. Toto orbe decretum eſt, ut unus Presbyterelectus ſuperponeretur caeteris, ad quem omnis Eccleſiae cura pertineret. Jerome, that to prevent ſchiſmes among Presbyters and Prieſts, Epiſcopall governement was eſtabliſhed through the whole world?

And let this ſuffice to be ſpoken of the office of this Angell: we will now conſider of his charge, or that wherewith the Holy Ghoſt here burdeneth him, the toleration of hereſie and idolatrie. I have a few things againſt thee,

That thou ſuffereſt. mmVariam & miſcellaneam Religionem induxerunt ſceptro tuendo, ne unquam conſpirare interſe omnes poſsint.Diodorus Siculus reporteth that the ancient Kings p. 464of Egypt made a kinde of medley of religion to ſerve their turne, that the people might thereby be diſtracted, and ſo diſabled from attempting any thing againſt the State. And we reade likewiſe innnEccleſiaſt. hiſt. l. 4. c. 27. Socrates, of Themiſtius, that he laboured to perſwade Valens the Emperour, that God was well pleaſed with varietie of ſects, dum it a pluribus modis colitur, becauſe by this toleration of divers religions God is worſhipped after divers manners. And Father Parſons, with whomooLib. 3. de rep. c. 7. Bodine the great Stateſman of France, and CardinallppIn Apolog. Allen, and William qqIn his anſwer to the reformed Catholike.Biſhop, Seminarie Prieſt, joyne hearts and pens, ſpending the ſtrength of their wit, and flower of their learning in this argument of toleration; taking upon them to prove, firſt, in Theſi, that Religions, differing in ſubſtantiall points, and fundamentall grounds, are comportable in the ſame Kingdome: and in Hypotheſi, that it is not only lawfull and expedient, but alſo honourable for the King of Great Britaine to permit the publicke profeſſion and practice of the Romiſh Religion within his Kingdomes. For the proofe of their Theſis they alledge but one text of Scripture, and that miſerably wreſted:rrMat. 13.30.Matt 13:30 Sinite utraque creſcere in meſſem, let both grow untill the harveſt.

The great want of Scriptures they ſtrive in ſome ſort to ſupply by conjectures of reaſon, and examples of forreine States: but the faireſt gloſſe they ſet upon their foule aſſertion, is from ſuch plauſible ſentences of the ancient Fathers as theſe:ſſLactan l. 5. divin. inſtitut. c. 14. & 20. Quis tam inſolens, tam elatus eſt, qui me vetet oculos in coelum tollere? quis imponat mihi neceſsitatem vel colendi quod nolim, vel non colendi quod velim? Nihil eſt tam voluntarium quam Religio, in quâ ſi animus ſacrificantis eſt averſus, jam ſublata eſt, jam nulla eſt. Who is ſo proud as to forbid me to lift up my eyes to heaven? Who will impoſe a neceſsity upon me, either to worſhip that which I will not, or not to worſhip what I will? Nothing ſo much dependeth on the will as Religion, which is not Religion but Hypocriſie if the minde be averſe from it. ttTertul. ad Scapulam c. 2. Nec religionis eſt religionem cogere.It is againſt Religion to enforce Religion, and conſtraine men to diſſemble with God. Verily the chiefeſt point of Religion conſiſteth in the inward ſacrifice of the heart, and devotion of the will: and how is it poſſible to devote ouruuBernard. in Cant. Fides ſuadenda, non imponend…. will againſt our will? This reaſon againſt forcing Religion ſeemed ſo forcible to Theodoricus, that he forbad all Inquiſitions and Tortures in caſe of Religion. For other things (ſaith he) we may, Religion we cannot command. Neither was he ſingular in this his opinion: for upon the like grounds to his, Theodoſius and Leo, Catholike Emperours, permitted Churches to the Arrian Heretikes; as likewiſe Conſtantius and Valentinian, Arrian Heretikes, granted Oratories to Catholike Biſhops. The Emperours of Germanie tolerate Lutherans and Zuinglians, the French King Hugonots, the Grand-Seignior Chriſtians, the Pope Jewes in Rome; whereunto Bodin addeth the example of the ancientxxAug. l. 18. de Civit. Dei. Roma, cum omnibus penè gentibus dominaretur, omnium penè gentium ſurvivit erroribus. Romans, who permitted the free uſe of their Religion to all the Nations they conquered: and of the Emperour Alexander Severus, who kept in his cloſet the pictures of Abraham, Orpheus, Hercules and Chriſt, and privily worſhipped them all.

Theſe are the faireſt pretences, and plauſibleſt arguments for toleration. How few in number? how light in weight? how eaſie and ſhort in the anſwer?

Firſt, for their text of Scripture (let both grow to the harvest) which Doctor Biſhop ſetteth in the fore-front of his diſcourſe. Can any man of learning and judgement once dreame, that our Lords meaning was thereby to inhibite all proceedings againſt Heretikes and wicked livers? to enjoyne all Magiſtrates to ſuffer vertue and vice, truth and hereſie to grow together p. 465in the Church till the harveſt, that is, the end of the world? Could Doctor Biſhop or any other Papiſt perſwade himſelfe that our Saviour commandeth that to be done, for which he here blameth the Angell ofyyMat. 13.30.Matt 13:30 Thyatira, and before the Angell ofzzVer. 14. Pergamus? Doe not all Papiſts defend the Inquiſition in Spaine and Italie, and the Pope their Maſter his proceedings againſt Proteſtants, under the name of Heretikes? Certainely if Chriſt in this parable abſolutely commands a toleration of Heretickes and Schiſmatikes, under the name of tares, the Popiſh Inquiſition is a tranſgreſſion of Chriſts command, by their owne inference from it: which if any Papiſt maintaine, he will not be long out of the Inquiſition: if he truſt not to his heeles he ſhall feele the gag ſoone in his mouth, and aſſay theaaSee the book of the Spaniſh Inquiſition, and in it the forme of this bridle. man-bridle.

As for the meaning of the place of Scripture, it is cleere in it ſelfe, and hath been long agoe by the Ancients declared to be this, that God ſuffereth hypocrites and diſſemblers to mingle themſelves with godly Profeſſours in the viſible Church, whom becauſe we cannot ſufficiently diſcerne and diſtinguiſh, who know not the hearts of men, he forbiddeth us to attempt an univerſall and utter extirpation of them, in this reſpect only, ne ſimul eradicemus triticum, leſt together with cockle and darnell, or in ſtead thereof, we pluck up good wheat. What maketh this for the toleration of open Idolatours, and known Heretikes, or ſcandalous livers, who if they be not weeded out by execution of penall Statutes or Eccleſiaſticall cenſures, will hinder the growth of all vertue and Religion? Wherefore the caſe being ſo cleere, that this text of Scripture is ſhamefully wreſted by the Adverſarie, I leave the Patrons of toleration to be diſciplined by the JeſuitbbMald. in hunc loc. Abutuntur hoc loco ut probent aut non puniendos aut non occidendos haereticos. Maldonat, who in his Comment upon this text, ſtrikes them ſmartly with his feruler that abuſe this place (as he ſaith) to prove that Heretikes are not at all to be puniſhed, or not to be puniſhed with death.

I come to the ancient Fathers, who indeed juſtly taxe the heathen for follie and crueltie, in forcing their idolatrous worſhip upon Chriſtians by the ſword, which they were never able, nor ſo much as once offered to maintaine by argument. Againſt all ſuch, who terrifie and teach not, as St. Auſtine ſpeaketh, or begin with fire and faggot, or have no ſharper weapons to defend the truth of their Religion than the edge of the axe, or point of the ſword, Lactantius and Tertullians exceptions are juſt, and their admonitions ſeaſonable.ccLact. divin. inſtit. l. 5. c. 20. Verbis potiùs quàm verberibus res agenda eſt ut ſit voluntas: diſtringant aciem ingeniorum ſuorum; ſi ratio eorum vera eſt, afferatur, parati ſumus au dire; doceant, tacentibus certè nihil credimus, ſicut nec ſae vientibus quidem cedimus. Let the heathen draw the ſword of their wits, and trie it at the point of argument. They diſlike not, after gentle remedies have proved uneffectuall, to uſe ſeveritie againſt obſtinate Heretikes. For though Saint Bernard ſaith truely, Fides ſuadenda, non imponenda; faith is to be perſwaded, not to be impoſed upon a man: yet Tertullian affirmeth as truely in another caſe, Contumacie is to be dealt roughly withall, durities vincenda eſt, non ſuadenda, obſtinacie is to be compelled, not perſwaded.

Yea, but faith is the gift of God, and cannot be forced upon a man againſt his will. Neither can any morall vertue: and yet Drunkards, and Incontinent perſons, and Theeves, and Murderers, are juſtly puniſhed. And why not as well Miſcreants, Idolatours, and Heretikes? Faith indeed is the gift of God, yet he neither giveth it, nor preſerveth it in us without meanes, whereof one of the chiefe is the ſtrict execution of Eccleſiaſticall diſcipline, and Imperiall lawes, whereby all the Dioceſſe ofddAug. ep. 48. Hippo cum tota eſſet in parte Donati, ad unitatem catholicam timore legum imperialium converſa eſt. Hippo was reclaimed p. 466from the hereſie of the Donatiſts: Religion eeLactan. loc. ſup cit. Non eſt opus vi & injuria, quia Religio cogi non poteſt.cannot be enforced. It is a true propoſition, if it be rightly underſtood, but no way maketh for toleration of errour, or againſt wholſome lawes, for the preſervation of the purity of Religion. For the acts of Religion are of two ſorts:

1 Inward, as beliefe and affiance in God, hope and charity.

2 Outward, as to goe to Church to heare Sermons, to be preſent at the adminiſtring of the Sacraments, to make open profeſſion of our faith by word of mouth, or writing: to theſe men may bee compelled by penall Statutes. Health cannot be forced upon a ſicke man, yet his mouth may be violently opened with a ſpoone, and that cordiall water powred downe his throat, which may bee a good meanes under God to recover his health. To this purpoſe Saint Auſtine ſpeaketh**Epiſt. 48. Utriſque moleſtus eſt, utroſque tamen amat. appoſitely: Hee that by a ſmart blow rowſeth a man in a Lethargie, or by maine force bindes a mad man, is troubleſome to both, yet doth a good office to both.

Yea, but is it not cruelty to trouble men or women for their conſcience? to compell people by violent meanes, to communicate with that ſervice which in their heart they abhorre? ſuppoſing it to bee the true worſhip of God to which the State compelleth (though they that are forced to it deem otherwiſe) to enforce them in this caſe to it, is no perſecution at all, but execution rather of Gods Law: or, if they will needs have it termed a perſecution, I diſtinguiſh with SaintffAug ep. 50. Eſt perſecutio juſta quam facit impiis Eccleſia, & eſt perſecutio injuſta quam faciunt impii Eccl…ſiae: & ep. 48. …lanè ſemper & mali perſecuti ſunt bonos, & boni malos; illi nocendo per injuſtitiam, hi conſulendo per diſciplinam, illi immaniter, iſti temperanter, illi perſequuntur ſanitatem, hi putredinem. Auſtine of a double perſecution.

1. A juſt, which the Church of God raiſeth againſt the wicked for their impieties.

2. Unjuſt, which the wicked, when they are in place, raiſe againſt the godly for the truths ſake.

The former proceeds from love and zeale, and intends inſtruction; the later from malice and cruelty, and intends deſtruction: the one wounds by injuſtice, the other heales by diſcipline; that lets out the corrupt, this ſpills the life bloud. Now for the examples of toleration of divers Religions, they are either in ſuch places where there are divers Regiments and Soveraignties; as in Germany, where each Prince maintains that Religion which he is perſwaded in his conſcience to bee the right: or of Princes which could doe no other, as things then ſtood with them; as Theodoſius, who for a while bare with the Arrians, but as ſoone as hee had ſtrength enough againſt them, prohibited them all meetings, deprived them of the benefit of making Wills, and forbad all diſputing about the equality of the perſons in the Trinity, as we may reade in Sozomen and Theodoret: or they are of Heretickes, Turkes and Infidels, and ſo no good preſidents for Orthodoxe Chriſtians. In briefe, they are all either impertinent or inconſequent, and are over-borne with ſtronger reaſons, and more uncontrollable authorities on the contrary; which before I martiall in their order, I will ſet downe certaine diſtinctions and cautions for the clearer manifeſtation of the truth.

1. Firſt, by divers Religions, we underſtand Religions differing in main grounds and ſubſtantiall points of faith, not in the outward forme of diſcipline, much leſſe in the habit or furniture of Rites and Ceremonies onelyonly. Diverſities of Rites and Ceremonies have been alwayes in the Catholike Church without breach of unity. The Spouſe of Chriſt weareth a garment p. 467wrought about with divers colours: And the Muſicians will tell us, that ſome diſcords in a leſſon, binding wiſe (as they ſpeake) and falling into a concord, much grace the muſicke.

2. Secondly, wee wiſh that all Magiſtrates Eccleſiaſticall and Civill, would firſt make proofe of gentler remedies, and ſeeke rather to winne men by perſwaſions, than draw them to Church by compulſion; Monendo potiùs quàm minando, & verbis magis quàm verberibus, to uſe rather commonitions than comminations, words than blowes, diſcourſes than legall courſes, arguments than torments.

3. Thirdly, in making and executing penall Statutes againſt Heretickes and Idolaters, all Chriſtian Princes and States muſt waſh their hands from bloud, and free themſelves from all aſperſion of cruelty. For no fiſh will come into the net which they ſee all bloudy: and they who are too quick in plucking at thoſe that differ from them in Religion, root up thoſe oft-times for tares, which if they had been permitted longer to grow, might have proved good corne.

4. Fourthly, they muſt put a great difference between thoſe that are infected with Hereticall opinions, whereof ſome are ring-leaders, ſome are followers, ſome are obſtinate, others flexible, ſome are turbulent, others peaceable; on ſome they ought to have ggJude 22, 23.compaſsion, making a difference; and others ſave with feare, pulling them out of the fire.

5. Laſtly, nothing muſt be done herein by the intemperate zeale of the heady multitude, or any private motion; but after mature advice and deliberation be appointed by lawfull authority.

To the particular inſtances brought from our neighbour Nations that are repugnant to this rule, wee anſwer with SainthhSerm. 66. in Cant. Approbamus zelum, factum non laudamus. Bernard: Wee approve their zeale, yet wee allow not of their proceedings.

Theſe cautions obſerved, that religions differing in fundamentall grounds are not to be tolerated in the ſame Kingdome, we prove

1. Firſt, by the Law ofiiDeut. 22.10, 11.Deut 22:10Deut 22:11 Moſes, which forbiddeth plowing with an Oxe and an Aſſe together: or, to weare a garment of divers ſorts, as of woollen and linnen together. The morall of which Law, according to the interpretation of the beſt Expoſitors, hath a reference to diverſities in Religions, and making a kinde of medley of divers worſhips of God.

2. Secondly, by the grievous puniſhment of Idolaters appointed by God himſelf:kkDeut. 13.6, 8, 9.Deut 13:6Deut 13:8Deut 13:9 If thy brother, or ſon of thy mother, or thine own ſon, or thy daughter, or the wife that lieth in thy boſome, or thy friend, which is as thine own ſoule, entice thee ſecretly, ſaying, Let us goe and ſerve other gods, thine eye ſhall not pity him, neither ſhalt thou keep him ſecret, but thine hand ſhall be upon him, and then the hand of all the people to ſtone him to death: Solùm pietatis genus eſt hic eſſe crudelem, It is piety in this kinde to ſhew no pity. It is not in the power of Kings and Princes to reverſe the decrees of Almighty God, or falſifie his Oracles, who ſaith, No llMatth. 6.24.Matt 6:24man can ſerve two maſters. For what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe? and what mm2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16.2 Cor 6:142 Cor 6:152 Cor 6:16communion hath light with darkneſſe? or what concord hath Chriſt with Belial? and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols?

3. Thirdly, if theſe teſtimonies of everlaſting truth perſwade us not, that God, who is truth, muſt be worſhipped in truth, and not with lyes, and p. 468in a falſe manner; yet Chriſt his inditing the Angel of Thyatira for ſuffering Jezebel, and the Angel of Pergamus for not ſilencing falſe Teachers: I have a few things againſt thee (ſaith the Spirit) that thou haſt there them that maintaine the doctrine of Baalam. The Spirit chargeth not the Angel with allowing or countenancing, but tolerating only falſe doctrine: Therefore the toleration of Hereſie and Idolatry is a ſinne which God will not tolerate in a Magiſtrate; which I further thus demonſtrate:

4. Fourthly, God will not hold any Prince or State guiltleſſe, which permitteth a pollution of his name; but the worſhip of a falſe god, or the falſe worſhip of the true God, is a pollution of his name, as himſelfe declareth:nnEzek. 20.39.Ezek 20:39 Pollute my name no more with your gifts and your Idols. God is a jealous God, and will endure no corrivall; if wee divide our heart between him and any other, hee will cut us off from the land of the living, as hee threatneth: I ooZeph. 1.5.Zeph 1:5will cut off the remnant of Baal, and them that worſhip the hoſt of Heaven upon the houſe tops, and them that worſhip and ſweare by the Lord, and by Malcham.

5. Fifthly, what ſhall I adde hereunto ſave this, that the bare permiſſion of Idolatry was ſuch a blurre to Solomon, and moſt of the ſucceeding Kings of Juda, that it obſcured the luſtre, and marred the gloſſe of all their other Princely endowments? For after the deſcription of their vertues, this blot is caſt upon their reputation; But the high pp1 Kin. 15.14.1 Kgs 15:14places were not taken away. But thrice happyqq2 Kin. 18.4.2 Kgs 18:4 Hezekiah, who by demoliſhing the braſen Serpent which Moſes had made (becauſe the children of Iſrael burned incenſe to it) erected to himſelfe an everlaſting monument of praiſe. And yet more happyrr2 Kin. 23.25.2 Kgs 23:25 Joſiah, after whom the Holy Ghoſt ſendeth this teſtimony: Like unto him there was no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoule, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moſes, neither after him aroſe there any like unto him. Why? what eminent vertues had Joſiah above others? what noble acts did he, which the Spirit values at ſo high a rate? no other than thoſe which we find recounted in the books of Kings and Chronicles: Hee brake downe the Altars of Baalim, and cut downe the Images that were on high upon them, hee brake alſo the groves and the carved Images, and the molten ſſ2 Chron. 34.4, 5.2 Chr 34:42 Chr 34:5Images, and ſtamped them to powder, and ſtrewed it upon the graves of them that ſacrificed to them; and hee burned the bones of the Prieſts upon the Altar. He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make tt2 Kin. 23.10, 11, 12, 13.2 Kgs 23:102 Kgs 23:112 Kgs 23:122 Kgs 23:13his ſonne or his daughter paſſe through the fire to Moloch: and he took away the horſes that the Kings of Judah had given to the Sun, and the Altars that were on the top of the upper chambers of Ahaz, & the Altars which Manaſſeh had made in the two Courts of the houſe of the Lord, and the high places that were before Jeruſalem, which Solomon had builded, and ſo he tooke away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Iſrael, and uu2 Chro. 34.33.2 Chr 34:33compelled all that were found in Iſrael to ſerve the Lord their God.

6. Sixthly, farther to teach Magiſtrates, that they ought ſometimes to uſe violent and compulſive meanes, to bring men to the true ſervice of God; our Saviour delivereth a Parable of a certaine xxLuke 14.16.Luke 14:16man that made a great Supper, and when the gueſts that were bid came not in, the Maſter ſaid to his ſervants, Ver. 23.Goe to the high wayes and hedges, to compell them to come in, that my p. 469houſe may be filled. On which ground St.yyIn hunc. loc. Non quia cogantur reprehendant, ſed quò cogantur attendant. Auſtine thus deſcanteth, What are the hedges here meant, but ſchiſmes and hereſies, that make partitions and ſeparations in the houſe of God? from which when the ſheepe of Chriſt are pulled, let them not find fault becauſe they are haled, but looke whither they are haled, into Chriſts ſheepfold. A prudent advice, and ſeriouſly to be thought upon by all that murmure and repine at the Church and States proceedings againſt obſtinate Recuſants, be they Papiſts or Browniſts: they could not miſlike that they are compelled, if they entered into a ſerious conſideration whither they are compelled to goe, to wit, to a marriage Supper, to partake of the Manna of the Word and Sacraments. O happy violence, that puls men out of hell fire, happie bonds that tye us to Chriſts body, happy fetters that hold our feet in the way of peace, happy ſcourges and whips that drive us into heaven, happy outward compulſion that workes inward compunction!

7 Seventhly, to theſe conſtraining arguments for compulſories againſt refractarie perſons, we may adde infinite examples of zealous Princes, to counterpoize all the preſidents brought before for connivencie at ſchiſme or hereſie. I ſpake but even now of Joſiah and Hezekiah, after whom may be rankedzz2 Chr. 15.16. And all the people ſware unto the Lord with a loud voyce, with ſhouting, trumpets, and cornets, that whoſoever would not ſeeke the Lord God of Iſrael ſhould be ſlaine.2 Chr 15:16 Aſa, who depoſed Maacath his mother from her Regencie, becauſe ſhe had made an Idol in a grove, which he brake downe, and ſtamped to powder. And Nebuchadnezzar made a Decree, That every people, nation and language, which ſpake any blaſphemie againſt the God of Shadrach, Miſach, and Abednego, ſhould be drawne in pieces, and their houſes made a jakes, Dan. 3.29. And that I may joyne Eccleſiaſticall ſtories with the inſpired, I will relate ſome conſtitutions of the beſt Emperours which ſwayed the Roman Scepter.aaEuſeb. in vit. Conſtant. Conſtantine the Great appointed that all the Temples of Heretickes ſhould be pulled downe, and that it ſhould not be lawfull for them to aſſemble together in publike or private. And that Theodoſius and later Emperours were as quicke againſt them, it appeares by the Code of Juſtinian; bbLib. 1. tit. 5. Omnes vetitae legibus divinis, & imperialibus conſtitutionibꝰ haereſes perpetuò conticeſcantLet all hereſies, forbidden by the law of God and Imperiall ſanctions, keepe ſilence for ever. And againe,ccTit. cunc. Cuncti haeretici procul dubiò noverint omnia ſibi loca adimenda eſſe. Let all Heretickes underſtand, that all places of meeting, as well Churches as private houſes, are to be taken away from them: let them be debarred from all ſervice day and night, the Lord Deputie to be fined a hundreth pound if he permit any ſuch thing. Will you heare yet ſharper lawes? Peruſe the chapter of Manicheos. ddManicheos meritiſſimâ ſeveritate perſequimur, ac primum volumus publicum eſſe crimen, quia quod in religionem divinam committitur, in omnium fertur injuriam: & in eos ſeveritatis noſtrae aculei erigantur, qui eos domibus ſuis damnandá proviſione defendunt.We proſecute the Manichees with moſt deſerved ſeveritie; and firſt we determine that this hereſie ſhall be held a publike crime: becauſe that which derogateth from the true worſhip of God, cannot but be many wayes prejudiciall to the State. Theſe Manichees therefore we puniſh with confiſcation of goods, we debarre them from buying or ſelling, bequeathing goods or lands by will or otherwiſe, from recovering any legacies, or enjoying their fathers inheritance: and let them all be liable to the ſame penalties who keepe and foſter ſuch perſons in their houſes.

8 Eighthly, for the mitigation of which lawes, when the Hereticks expected that S. Auſtine ſhould mediate with the Emperor, he falls thus foule upon them: Yes forſooth, what elſe? I ſhall gaineſay the conſtitution of the Emperour, and interc…de that you loſe not the things which you call yours, and you without feare ſpoyle Chriſt of that which is his? A reaſonable demand, is it not? that the Roman lawes ſhould permit you to make your laſt will and teſtament, p. 470whileſt you with cavelling and ſophiſtry goe about to fruſtrate Gods laſt will and Teſtament? that in buying and ſelling your contracts may be good, and you the whileſt ſhare among you that which Chriſt bought when he was ſold? that you be not baniſhed from the place of your abode, when you, as much as in you lieth, drive Chriſt from the Kingdome purchaſed with his blood? Tertullian is as peremptory in this point:eeScorpiacum c. 2. Ad officium haereticos compelli, non illici dignum; du…tia vincenda eſt non ſuadenda: & utique ſatis optimum prae…udicatur quod probabitur a Deo conſtitutum. We muſt deale roundly with Heretickes, and overcome their obſtinacie by more powerfull Rhetorike than perſwaſive ſpeeches. For that courſe must be thought the beſt which God himſelfe hath taken. St.ffCypr. ep. 6. Cyprian pointeth to thoſe texts of Scripture, wherein God alloweth of, yea, and expreſſely commandeth ſevere proceedings againſt Heretickes and Idolatours: with whom St.ggGreg. com. in Cant. Gregorie accords in his note upon thoſe words, Catch the foxes that ſpoyle the vines. Of the ſame minde arehhHier. in Cr…ſ. Leo. ep. 93. Hierome, Leo, and the Synod of Burdigala, who all approve of Maximus his proceedings againſt the Hereticke Priſcillian; and Epiphanius and Cyrill, who, to ſtrike a terrour in the hearts of Heretickes, relate the fleaing of Manes, the father of the Manichees, by the King of Perſia. To fill up the ranke:iiLib. 3. cont. Parm. Optatus likeneth Macarius to Phineas and Elias, for making a quicke diſpatch with the Heretickes of his time. Dioſcorus Alexandrinus cries out in the Synod of Chalcedon, that Hereſie is to be purged with fire, Haereticos flammâ dignos. Clemens Alexandrinus wiſheth all happineſſe to the Scythian King, who hung a Citizen, and after commanded him to be ſhot through with arrowes, for ſacrificing to the mother of the gods, after the manner of the Grecians. kkEp. ad Ser. Procul dubio melius eſſet ut gladio coercerentur illius, qui ſine causà gladium non geſtat.Laſtly, St. Bernard, after he had made mention of ſome private perſons, who ranne upon blaſphemous Heretickes, and tare them in pieces for rending the Church, interpoſeth his owne judgement in this maner; They ſhould have done better, to have delivered up thoſe blaſphemous Heretickes into the hands of the Magiſtrate, who beareth not the ſword of juſtice in vaine.

9 Ninthly, if theſe pious reſolutions of the ancient Fathers, and noble acts of religious Princes, ſerve not as matches to kindle the zeale of godly Magiſtrates againſt the enemies of our Religion, the heathen ſhall one day riſe up againſt them; the ancient Romans, who had this law written among the reſt,llLeg. 12. tab. Deos privatos nemo habeat. Let no man have a private Religion to himſelfe: the Athenians, who baniſhed Protagoras for that atheiſticall ſpeech of his, de diis, Sintne, an non ſint, nil habeo dicere; I can ſay nothing concerning the gods, whether there are any, or not; and put Socrates to deathmmPlato in apolog. Socr. foreign. becauſe he made queſtion of the truth of that Religion which the State profeſſed. In a word, all nations of the world ſhall condemn them, of whomnnSeneca ſent. Violatarum religionum apud diverſas gentes diverſa ſtatuitur poena, apud omnes aliquo. Seneca writeth truly, that for the profaning, violating, or corrupting the worſhip of God there are divers puniſhments appointed in divers places, but in all Countries ſome or other. And not without cauſe: for if it be a ſcandall to a State to ſuffer theeves & murtherers to go unpuniſhed, are Hereticks to be ſet free, who rob men of that pearle of truth which the rich merchant man ſold all that he had to buy? who are guilty of ſpirituall homicide? wherewith St.ooTract. 11. in Johan. Videtis qualia faciant, & qu…lia patiuntur; occidunt animas, affliguntur in corpore, ſempiternas mortes faciunt, & temporales ſe perpeti conqueruntur. Auſtine directly chargeth them; You ſee what theſe miſcreants doe, and what they ſuffer; and have they, thinke you, any juſt cauſe to complaine of the puniſhments that are inflicted on them? They kill the ſoules of men, and ſmart for it in their bodies: by their damnable doctrine they bring men to eternall death, and yet grudge that they ſuffer a temporall. Doe p. 471not all wiſe men account Religion to bee the foundation which beareth up the whole frame and fabricke of State? And is it poſſible a building ſhould ſtand upon two foundations? Religion is the ſoule which animateth the great body of the Common-wealth, and will it not prove a monſter if it be informed with divers ſoules? The Church and Common-wealth have but one centre; any new motion therefore in the one muſt needs make a commotion in the other. In which regard Mecoenas adviſed Auguſtus to puniſh ſeverely all Innovators in matter of Religion,ppNon ſolum deorum causâ, ſed quia nova quaedam numina hi tales inducentes, multos impellunt ad rerum mutationem. not only out of a regard of pietie, but alſo for reaſon of State. What mutinies, what heart-burnings, what jealouſies, what bloudy frayes and maſſacres may there be feared, where Religion ſetteth an edge upon diſcontent? And all that dye in theſe quarrels pretend to the Crowne of Martyrdome. I forbeare multiplicity of examples in this kind, our neighbour Countries have bin for many yeeres the ſtages whereon theſe tragedies for Religion have been acted, and God alone knowes what the cataſtrophe will be. There was never ſo great miſchiefe done at Rome by fire, as when it took the Temple of Veſta, and mingled it ſelfe with the ſacred flame.

qqOvi. faſt. l. 6.Ardebant ſancti ſceleratis ignibus ignes,

Et miſta eſt flammae flamma prophana piae.

Even ſo if the wild-fire of contention mixe it ſelfe with the ſacred fire of zeale, and both burne within the bowels of the ſame Church, it is not a river of bloud that is like to quench the direfull flame. ThereforerrEp. 166. Julianus reddidit Baſilicas haereticis quando templa Demonus, eo modo putans Chriſtianum nomen poſſe petire de te…s, ſi unitati Eccleſiae, de qua lapſus fuerat, invideret, & ſacrileg…s di…nſiones liberas eſſe p…rmitteret. Julian the Apoſtata, as S. Auſtine reports, having a deſire to ſet all Chriſtendome in a combuſtion, caſt a fire-ball of contention among them, by proclaiming liberty to all Heretickes and Schiſmatickes to ſet abroach their damnable doctrines, hoping thereby utterly to extinguiſh the name of Chriſtians.

But to come neere to our Adverſaries, and turne their owne ordnance upon them: Did Queene Mary in her ſhort reigne exempt the ſervants of God of any age or ſexe from the mercileſſe flames of the fire? Doe not Bellarmine, Allan, Parſons, Pammelius, Maldonat, and generally all Jeſuits, ſet their wits upon the rack, and ſtretch and torture them, to maintaine the rackes and tortures of Popiſh Inquiſition? Of what hard metall then are their foreheads made, who dare ſupplicate for a toleration in a Proteſtant ſtate, able to ſuppreſſe them? Why ſhould they not be contented with their owne meaſure, though all the world knoweth the ſweet benignity and clemency of our gracious Soveraign abates them more than the halfe? Here me thinkes I heare the ſoules of the ſlaine under the Altar cry. How long Lord, holy & juſt, doſt not thou revenge the bloud of thy ſervants ſpilt as water upon the ground by the Whore of Babylon, which to this day out-braveth thy Spouſe, having dyed her garments ſcarlet red in the goare of thy Saints, and Martyrs of thy Son Jeſus Chriſt? Righteous Lord, wee have been made a ſpectacle of miſery to Angels and men, wee have been killed all the day long, and accounted as ſheep for the ſlaughter; wee have been ſpoiled of all our goods, baniſhed our native ſoile; we have been hewen aſunder, wee have been ſlaine with a ſword, we have been whipt, ſcourged, caſt into dungeons with ſerpents, burnt at a ſtake to aſhes, ſome of us p. 472digg'd out of our graves, and martyred after our death: and ſhe that hath thus cruelly butchered thy ſervants ſits as Queene, arrayed in purple, and ſcarlet, and fine linnen, and carouſeth healths to the Kings and Princes of the earth in a cup of gold; and after ſhee hath made them drunke with the wine of her abominations, ſhe committeth ſpirituall filthineſſe with them in the face of the Sun.

Cupio me patres conſcripti clementem, non diſſolutum videri (ſaith the wiſe Oratour) I wiſh that mercy, to which all vertues (as Seneca obſerveth) willingly give the place and yeeld the garland, may be ſtill the prime gemme in our Soveraignes Crowne. I plead for mercy, which muſt be our beſt plea at Chriſts Tribunall: but I deſire it to bee well thought upon, whether it be mercy or not rather cruelty to ſpare thoſe who ſpare not your ſonnes and daughters, but daily entice them, and by their agents conveigh them over beyond the Sea, to ſacrifice, not their bodies, but their ſoules, their faith, their religion to the Moloch of Rome. **Plin. nat. hiſt. l. 8 c. 22. Arcades ſcribunt ex gente Antei cuiuſdam in ſtagnum quoddam regionis ejus duci, veſtitu que in qu…rcu ſuſpenſo …nare & abire in deſertum, tranſfiguratique in lupos.Pliny writeth of certaine people of the family of Anteus in Arcadia, who having put off their clothes, and ſwom over a deep ſtanding poole, wander in the wilderneſſe, runne among Wolves, and are transformed into their ſhape, and after returne backe and doe great miſchiefe in their owne countrey. I beleeve not that there is any ſuch family in Arcadia; but I am ſure wee have a ſort of men in England, who, putting off the habit of Engliſh men and Scholars, croſſe the narrow Seas, converſe with Romiſh Wolves, and degenerate into their nature, and after they returne backe into their owne countrey, make havocke of Chriſts flocke. Here I cannot but cry aloud with zealous Bullenger, ttIn Apoc. c. 2. Quae quaeſo clementia eſt crudeliſſimis lupis blandiri, ut oves innocentes Chriſti ſanguine redemptas impunè dil…nient? quae haec patientia ſinere vineam Domini ab immaniſsimis monſtris devaſtati?Rev 2What clemency call you this, to ſuffer the Lords Vineyard to bee ſpoiled and laid waſte by cruell Monſters? What mercy to ſpare the Wolves, which ſpare not Chriſts ſheep redeemed with his precious bloud? who plot treaſon againſt their naturall Prince, ſcandalize the State, and ſtaine with impure breath the gold and ſilver veſſels of the Sanctuary, who turne religion into Statiſme, or rather into Atheiſme. Let it bee accounted mercy not to execute the rigour of penall Statutes upon ſilly ſeduced ſheep; certainly it is cruelty to ſpare the Wolves which worry them.

If any, pricked at the heart at the conſideration of theſe things, ſay with the Jewes in the Acts, yyActs 2.37.Acts 2:37Quid faciemus? What ſhall wee doe? Wee have uſed all diligence to find out theſe Romiſh Wolves, and thoſe that come within our reach wee ſmite, at the reſt we ſet our ſtrongeſt Maſtives, and fray them out of our coaſts:

I anſwer, If this were ſincerely done of all hands, if ſome ſhepheards were not ſeen by the Wolves before they ſpie them, and thereby loſt their voices, according to the Proverb, Lupi videre priores: I ſay if the ſhepheards and the dogges beſtirred themſelves as they ſhould, yet the wiſe man in Livie will tell them, All will be to no great purpoſe till the woods and thickets be cut down, to which they flie, & there hide themſelves: p. 473Nunquam defuturi ſunt lupi donec ſylvae exſcindantur: you ſhall never be rid of theſe Romiſh wolves ſo long as in all quarters of this Kingdome they have ſo many places of ſhelter to lurke in, I had almoſt ſayd Sanctuaries of defence.

I am now come home to the point, I firſt thought upon when I was ſommoned to ſpeake to this honourable aſſembly,This Sermon was preached during the Parliament, whereof many were preſent. conſiſting of ſo many noble and worthy members of the high Court of Parliament; and therefore here I will land my diſcourſe, after I have given you but one memento out of the Pſalmiſt, Remember the children of Edom in the day of Jeruſalem, how they ſayd, Downe with it, downe with it, even to the ground; or rather, Up with it, up with it to the trembling ayre. Blow up King, Queene, Prince, Parliament, Clergie, Laitie, Nobilitie, Gentrie, Commons, Lawes, Statutes, Charters, Records, all in a cloud of fire, that there remaine not ſo much as any cinders of them upon the earth, leſt perhaps the Phoenix might revive out of her owne aſhes. But prayſed be the God of heaven, who diſcovered and defeated that plot of hell, our ſoule is eſcaped as a bird out of the ſnare, the ſnare is broken, and we are delivered. I will cloſe up all with thoſe ſweet ſtraines of the hundred forty ninth Pſalme. O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong, let his praiſe be heard in the great congregation: let Iſrael rejoyce in him that made him, and let the children of Sion be joyfull in their King: for the Lord hath pleaſure in his people, and will make the meeke glorious by deliverance: let the Saints be joyfull with glory, let them rejoyce in their beds: let the high Acts of the Lord be in their mouthes, and a two-edged ſword in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the Romiſh Jezebel, and rebuke her proſelites; to bind her Prieſts in chaines, and her Chemarims with linkes of iron, that they may be avenged of them: as it is written, Such honour have all his Saints. To whom, &c.