A Hand of Fellowship to Help Keep Out Sin and Antichrist, Sermon 1

A Hand of Fellowship to Help Keep Out Sin and Antichrist · Sermon 1

p. 1DAVIDS DESIRES.

PSAL. 27.4.

One thing hauehave I deſired of the Lord, that will I require, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the daies of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple.

WE hauehave often, from this place,This Sermon was preached at an Aſſiſe. beene full fed and fatted with Sermons from Texts which hauehave put both Iudges, and Iurers, Lawyers, Plaintiffes, and Defendants, in minde of ſuch duties as God doth require at their hands: If you will giuegive mee leaue this one time to digreſſe, I ſhall ſtriue to winde vp your hearts to heauen, to kindle your affections to religion, and religious duties; knowing aſſuredly, that if once we be good men, we ſhall alſo be p. 2good Common-wealths men, and doe nothing but that which is iuſt in the ſight of God and Man.

We reade of the Bird of Paradiſe, that ſhee hauing no legs, neuer toucheth the earth, but liueth in the aire with the vapors which ariſe from below, till ſhe dieth, and then ſhee falleth to the ground, and is diſcouered. Many ſuch birds of Paradiſe hath our God, who though they ſucke vponupon earthly things for their neceſſarie releefe and maintenance, yet hauehave their conuerſation in heauen, and are neuer diſcouered to be more earthly, than when by death they are brought into the wombe and embracings of the earth their common mother.

Amongſt the reſt DAVID hath been famous in this kinde, whoſe deuotions doe diſcouer ſuch liuely graces, ſuch mortified luſts, ſuch a heauenly minde, and ſuch an anatomie of a good ſoule (as the Pſalmes are aptly called) that as it was with Ierome, when he had read the life and death of Hilarion, he folded vp his booke and ſaid, Well Hilarion, thou ſhalt be the Champion whom I will follow: ſo it may be with vsus when we reade the ſweet precepts and godly patternes of deuotion in Dauid, we may iuſtly cry out, Well Dauid, thou ſhalt be the champion whom we will follow.

Through the whole bodie of the Pſalmes he hath diſcouered wonders in this kinde; neither is this Pſalme barren. For ye may finde a threefold peece of deuotion in it. The firſt is ſhewed by eleuation: when by an exuberancie of ſpeech he lifteth vp his heart, and draweth it to cling cloſe vntounto God amid all his enemies,Verſe 1, 2, 3. as his light, ſaluation, and ſtrength.

2The ſecond is ſhewed by admiration: when he draweth his heart from all the world to louelove thoſe meanes wherein God doth communicate himſelfe vntounto vsus.Verſe 4, 5, 6.

3The third is ſhewed by petition: whereby he draweth p. 3his heart to reſt vponupon God to be vntounto him as he had ſaid, and to doe vntounto him as he had deſired.Verſe 7, 8, &c.

We hauehave to doe, you ſee, with the ſecond diſcouery of DAVIDS deuotion, that is, his admiration, ſecretly implied in the frame of his whole ſpeech. Wherein by the heauenly diſpoſition of his deſires, hee doth ſhew his dependance vponupon God in his ordinarie courſe of offering grace. For whereas the ſoules of men are conſidered, either according to their vnderſtandings, or according to their deſires and appetites reaſonable & ſenſitiue: DAVID hauing exerciſed his vnderſtanding in the beholding of God, as he was to him, and as he would be to his enemies, doth here exerciſe his deſires to Gods houſe. Touching which deſires theſe three things offer themſelues to our conſideration.

1. The office of his deſires: which is ſhewed in two things:

1. The firſt is their choiſe [One thing hauehave I deſired] They choſe one thing aboue the reſt.

2. The ſecond is their conſtancie [That will I ſeeke.] He doth proſecute his deſires, and will not let them vaniſh to no purpoſe.

2. The obiect of his deſires [The houſe of God.] There was nothing after which his heart panted more eagerly than Gods houſe.

3. The motiues of his deſires: which are two;

1. The worth of Gods houſe in it ſelfe: [Beauty,] amenitie, or ſweet and amiable preſentment, which it offereth and holdeth out to the godly view.

2. The worth of Gods houſe to DAVID: [To inquire in his Temple.] There he could hauehave matter of direction in ſuch doubts and difficulties as did ariſe in his whole courſe.

In the opening and applying of theſe ſeuerall parts, let p. 4vsus in the feare of God take diligent heed, and deſire God that a voice behind vsus may ſo worke vponupon the hid man of the heart, that our hearts may anſwer to DAVIDS heart, as the face of man anſwereth to the face of man in the water, to our endleſſe comfort.

1. The office of DAVIDS deſires.The firſt thing which we are to conſider in the office of DAVIDS deſires, is their choiſe. Concerning which choiſe I offer this point to your conſideration, that

1. Choiſe.The deſires of Gods children are reſerued for ſpeciall vſes.

It is a good Art to learne to limit our deſires. By nature they are boundleſſe: the thirſt whereof it is impoſſible that we ſhould q…ench and ſatisfie, but b… filling them with God. For herein is ſeene the wiſdome of God, that he hath made them of ſuch an ample cap…citie, as we, perceiuing no other thing to be able to ſatisfie them, may conclude that they are reſerued for a more infinite obiect: which being perceiued of Gods children, herein is imployed that skill which God hath giuen them to call home their deſires from all other things to thoſe things for which they are r…ſerued.

1 Cor. 12.31. 1 Cor. 14.1. Exod. …0.1 Cor 12:311 Cor 14:1Deſire you the beſt gifts: and Couet ſpirituall gifts; there are precepts. Thou ſhalt not couet any thing that is thy neighbours; there is a prohibition. Paul deſired no mans gold, ſiluer, Act. 20.30.Acts 20:30or apparell: a…d he deſired to know nothing among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 2.1 Cor 2but Ieſus Christ and him crucified; there is practiſe. And the Scripture ſetteth downe the puniſhment o… thoſe who deſired what they ſhould not, with the name of remembrance,Numb. 11.Num 11 Kibroth-Hattaauah, that is, the graue of lu…t. To what end elſe are thoſe precepts, that prohibition, Pauls patterne, and this iudgement ſet downe, but to inforce this truth, that our deſires ought to be reſerued.

Vſe. Oh therefore that we had hearts carefully to put limits p. 5vntounto them, and to ſpend them as they ſhould be ſpent! It is too true (as our God knoweth, and our owne conſciences) that our deſires are too too bad, being infinitely carried to worldlineſſe and wickedneſſe. By them we hauehave no peace, but are like the raging Sea foaming vp mire and dirt. By them our neighbour can neither keepe houſe, nor wife, nor goods, nor ſeruant, nor cattel, nor any thing that is his. By them we are made like the daughters of the Horſeleech, crying, GiueGive, GiueGive; Prou. 30.15.Prov 30:15and hauehave enlarged our hearts like Hell which neuer crieth Ho. Hoſea 4.18.Hos 4:18By them the rulers louelove to ſay with ſhame, Bring yee: and Felix was often moued by them to grope Paul, hoping that he ſhould hauehave found ſome money.Act. 24.27.Acts 24:27 By them ſometimes Iudges heare perſons ſpeake, and not cauſes: & Iurers will pollute their conſciences for a friend. They are our greedy deſires, which are the cauſes of many crafty trauerſe, repeales, delayes, demurres, writs of errour, non-ſuits, excuſes, and yet when the moſt is graſped in, the heart is not at reſt. Alas, what beauty is in this? GiueGive me leaue to propound (as in the ſight and preſence of God) two ſorts of things to your conſiderations.

1. Rules of limitation for our deſires.

2. Motiues to ſtirre vsus vp ſo to rule them.

Firſt, for the limiting of our deſires,Three rules to li… it our deſires. let vsus write in our hearts theſe three rules.

Firſt, in worldly things let vsus only deſire neceſſaries: 1for if we deſire neuer ſo much, there is to be found at the leaſt a double defect in the things deſired. Firſt, there is no Sufficiencie in them: for all the world is too little for our appetites; they being like fire, on which the more wood is laid, the higher the flame riſeth. The reaſon whereof is this; becauſe our ſoules were made for God: as therefore no man can fill a cheſt or bagge with learning, becauſe they were not made for it; ſo none can p. 6fill their deſires with the world, becauſe they were made for God. Secondly, there is no Perpetuitie in them: for either we are taken from them, as it is ſaid to the rich foole in the Goſpell,Luke 12.Luke 12 O foole, this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee; or elſe they are taken from vsus, both when they periſh in themſelues by their corruptible nature, as the rich mans gold in his cheſt and fold in his field;Iames 5.Jas 5 as alſo when they periſh to vsus,Iob 1.Job 1 as Iobs ſubſtance by theeues and windes.

2Secondly, in wicked things let vsus deſire to be freed from all them in all vsus: for as that God who ſeparates vsus from the world to him is holy,Exod. 15.11.Exod 15:11 as Moſes ſingeth, Who is like vntounto thee among the gods? who is like vntounto thee ſo glorious in holineſſe? 1 Theſſ. 4.7.1 Thess 4:7So we are called not vntounto vncleanneſſe, but vntounto holineſſe; 2 Cor. 6.16.2 Cor 6:16and God doth dwell and walke amongst vsus. Remember what Moſes ſaith,Deut. 23.13, 14.Deut 23:13Deut 23:14 The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy campe, therefore thine hoast ſhall be holy: whereof that he may make the deeper impreſſion, he giues the law of the paddle ſtaffe to couer their excrements. Yea as God is holy, and we are called vntounto holineſſe, and the holy God doth dwell amongſt vsus, ſo to make our thirſt to be freed from ſinne the greater, let vsus deeply apprehend that ſinne is more hurtfull vntounto vsus than the Deuill. Were it not for ſinne the Deuill could doe vsus no more hurt than he did to Chriſt,1 Cor. 5.5.1 Cor 5:5 when he tempted him. We may be deliuered ouer to Satan, and be the better for it; but if we be deliuered ouer to ſinne,Rom. 1.24.Rom 1:24 there is no wickedneſſe ſo great, which we will not runne into to ripen our damnation.

3Thirdly, in good things let our deſires be infinitely carried after them:Satietas in ſacris nè ſit: erit. Two motiues to ſtirre vsus vp to rule our deſires. for this is the meaſure of our deſires in theſe things, to couet them aboue meaſure. At which height that wee may aime, let vsus but commend vntounto our hearts, & craue from God a bleſſing vponupon theſe two conſiderations.

p. 7Firſt, that vnruly deſires doe further diſcomfort much; 1and that two waies. Firſt, by hurting of grace: for they choake it,Marke 4.19.Mark 4:19 as Chriſt ſaith of the luſting after the profits and pleaſures of this world, that they are as thornes. If inordinate deſire after other things, doth hinder our worldly thriuing (it carrying our mindes from our imployments) then much more the thriuing and well liking of our ſoules in grace and godlineſſe. Secondly, by helping ſinne: for as they doe incline the will, and make the whole man more apt for execution, (in which reſpect our deſires may well be ſaid to adde wings vntounto our ſoules;) ſo they doe poyſon the vnderſtanding, and make it ſottiſh in ſpirituall things: for though there be firſt darkneſſe in our thoughts, and enmitie in our wiſdomes,Heſter 1.Esth 1 yet as Ahaſhueroſh doth firſt draw his Courtiers vntounto wickedneſſe, and then his Courtiers doe make him worſe by flattery and other ſiniſter meanes: ſo the vnderſtanding doth firſt ſurrender vp her naturall powers and offices, being content to be blinded and miſlead, and that way be giuen to the will and deſires to inthrone the Deuill, and then the will and deſires doe more infatuate the minde, the belly fighting with the braine, and miſleading it being blinded to the ruine of the whole man.

Secondly, conſider that vnruly deſires doe hinder comfort. 2The greateſt comforts which wee reape from our ſelues, are our deſires. Good deſires are the glory of a good mans ſoule; what is a godly man, but a man of deſires?Chriſtianus eſt in fieri non in facto. A Chriſtian is what he hopes to be (and therefore deſires it) rather than what he is by preſent practiſe. What is the good mans faith? Oh that I had Chriſt: no doubt DAVIDS heart was not without a myſtery, when he was ſo eagerly carried after the water of the well of Bethlehem: and this is the myſterie of faith in our hearts, which is more p. 8eagerly carried after Chriſt with deſires, than with full perſwaſions.Pſal. 119.5.Ps 119:5 And what is the good mans obedience? Oh that my waies were ſo direct, that I might keepe thy ſtatutes! As therefore if wee had but one worldly thing whence wee might reape comfort, we would make much of that; ſo let vsus deale by our deſires, make we them as pretious as we can in Chriſt Ieſus, that God may accept the will for the deed.

It is true indeed, that that curſed fleſh which is in our boſomes, preuaileth againſt vsus much: but bleſſed ſhall we be, if our eares hearken in time to the wholeſome counſell following. Wee reade of the Lake of Armach in Ireland, that it hath this propertie; If you thruſt a ſtaffe into the bottome of it, that part which is in the mudde is turned into iron, and that which is in the water is turned into a whetſtone. Like vntounto this ſtaffe is the fleſh and ſpirit of man in the Lake of this life. The fleſh which carrieth a mans deſires to digge in the mudde of this world, is turned as it were into iron, (and therefore it is no maruell if it preuaile againſt our frailtie:) but the ſpirit (which, at the worſt, deſcends no lower than to the troubleſome billowes of this world) is as it were, turned into a whetſtone: this muſt be broke off, and not only ſcoure the ruſt of the fleſh, but euen conſume it, that ſo at the laſt wee may hauehave our deſires at command, as DAVID. Happie ſhall wee be, if by being ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we ſhall make our deſires to be like that liuing herbe called Sentida, of which they write thus; That if a man doe but offer to touch it, it withdraweth the leaues, and if hee touch it indeed, it drieth vp and withereth, which yet ſo ſoone as the hand is withdrawne flouriſheth againe: happie (I ſay) ſhall we be, if thus, ſo ſoone as any worldlineſſe or wickedneſſe doe but offer to approach, we draw p. 9our deſires away by a ſigh to heauen; if it take poſſeſſion, we droope and die within our ſelues, and neuer be at reſt and flouriſh till it be gone againe.

Thus we hauehave viewed the choice of the Good-mans deſires: 2we will further view them in their Conſtancie.Conſtancie. The wickedeſt man amongſt vsus may ſay: If this be ſo pretious a thing to reſerue and limit my deſires, as DAVID did to this (one thing) then I am ſure enough of my hand: for euen I Balaam, who would hauehave pleaded an ill cauſe, and pronounced an vnrighteous ſentence,Numb. 23.10.Num 23:10 in curſing them whom God had bleſſed, and bleſſing them whom God had curſed,Gen. 27.34.Gen 27:34 hauehave reſerued my deſires for the death of the righteous: and I Eſau, who hauehave ſet more by earth than heauen, hauehave reſerued my deſires for my Fathers Propheticall bleſſing. But DAVID takes vp the matter, and telleth vsus, that as it is the office of the good mans deſire to make choice, ſo to be conſtant in their choice, and to like the good obiect whereat it lookes too well to change: What I hauehave deſired, that will I ſeeke. Hence carry this point with you, That

Gracious deſire is not ſatisfied, till the partie deſiring doe embrace the thing deſired.

Yee know how it was with DAVID, when he was deſirous to finde out a place for the Arke, that ſigne of Gods preſence, he had no reſt till he had done it; he would not come into the Tabernacle of his houſe, nor come vponupon his pallet or bed, he would not ſuffer his eyes to ſleepe,Pſal. 132.3, 4.Ps 132:3Ps 132:4 nor his eye-lids to ſlumber, till he had found out a place for it. Euen ſo is it with al Gods people, in proſecuting of al good deſires: they are ſicke and their ſoules faint within them, till they hauehave brought them to ſome good paſſe. See it in Chriſts Spouſe in the Canticles:Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.Song 3:1Song 3:2Song 3:3Song 3:4Song 3:5 ſhee deſired communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt; wherefore ſhee gaue her ſelfe p. 10no reſt in her bed by night, ſhe ſought him whom her ſoule loued, and though ſhe found him not, yet ſhe aroſe and reſolued to ſeeke him ſtill: when ſhe could not enioy her deſired content by her owne induſtrie, ſhe runnes to the Miniſtery of the Word, the Watch-men: thus ſhe is like the Turtle that mournes her ſelfe to death, if ſhe cannot finde her mate.

To open this more diſtinctly; the vnweariedneſſe of holy deſires is ſeene in three things.

1Firſt, they conſume all difficulties for Gods ſake: let a man deſire any thing that good is, he ſhal finde ſuch pailes of water as theſe are to be throwne into this fire: why ſhould I deſire this, ſeeing it croſſeth my profit; pleaſure, eaſe, or ſeeing I hauing obtained it, ſhall be expoſed to reproach and contempt? But grace conſumes all this, and makes a man ſay with Nehemiah, Should ſuch a man as I feare? and this not out of ſelfe-louelove, vaine-glory, checke of conſcience, but for God and goodneſſe ſake.

2Secondly, they are fixed vponupon the thing deſired, and preſſe vponupon the ſuperiour faculties of the ſoule to know it better, to approue it, and neuer to forget it, though not to be enioyed, but after long time and many conflicts. So that as deſires make a man neuer to ſtand vponupon difficulties, as I ſaid before, and as we ſee in the ſouldier, who through deſire of victory and prey, ſtandeth not vponupon the hazard of his life: ſo they faſten the eye of the ſoule with intention vponupon the thing deſired, as the deſires of the louer captiuates the blinded minde to admire, to inuent praiſes, deeply and often to thinke vponupon, and the will and affections to rowle themſelues, and to doat vponupon the partie loued.

3Thirdly, they are practicall for the obtaining of what they deſire. Thoſe deſires that are not practicall, but vaniſh without endeuours to bring them to perfection, neuer p. 11poſſeſſed the ſoule, wherein they were, for good, as wee may ſee in Balaam: for good deſires looke to the meanes, and will doe any thing to accompliſh them, and not reſt vntill in ſome meaſure they hauehave embraced the deſired good.

Now call ouer what hath beene ſaid, againe, Vſe. concerning this conſtancie and practicall diſpoſition of gracious deſires, and compare it with ours: I warrant you it will diſcouer vntounto vsus the vanitie of our deſires, which goe vnderunder the name of good, and yet are blaſted before perfected, and doe end in ſhadowes.

There is nothing more comfortable vntounto vsus, than to be brought within the compaſſe of the couenant of grace:A poſteriori. we know that none can conclude their intereſt in it, but ſuch as hauehave faith and repentance. When we fall to the examining of theſe things, we comfort our ſelues with this, That they are bleſſed who hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe: Matth. 5.Matt 5for we, by the power of our conſciences aſſuming that we are as hungrie after them, as DAVID and his ſouldiers, when they eat the Shew-bread, and as thirſtie as Sampſon after his fight, who cried out, GiueGive me water, I die for thirſt; doe conclude that we hauehave faith and repentance. Seeing therefore that we doe reſt vponupon our deſires, is it not fit that wee ſhould trie them? Yes ſurely, Lay then then to DAVIDS, and we ſhall finde that his were officiouſly conſtant, and ours are negligently fickle. Doe wee deſire faith? If our deſires be gracious, we will not only doe it for a fit (as a jade will goe vponupon ſpeed for a plunge) but, as a woman is at deaths doore till ſhe hauehave her longing, we will be heart-ſicke till we hauehave it. Oh how we pant to God, Lord that I may beleeue, Lord increaſe my faith: How doe wee preſſe vponupon the meanes, and will neuer giuegive reſt till we finde Ieſus Chriſt dwelling in our hearts by faith, there killing ſin, p. 12and quickening grace. Doe we deſire repentance? If our deſires be gracious, we will neuer reſt till in ſome meaſure we finde it: yea when we enioy it in a leſſe meaſure, we will not ſuffer our ſelues to be at peace till we finde it in a greater: yea wee will feare alwaies leſt wee hauehave not repented enough, and therefore we will rowle our repentance together, and renew it daily. Thus ſhould our deſires be conſtant; and as heauie things doe naturally tend downeward to the Center,Plutarch. ſo ſhould our deſires tend to practiſe and perfection. But as one doth write of young Marius, that by reaſon of the ſtoutneſſe of his talke and geſture, hee obtained to be called the ſonne of Mars, but when hee came to proofe hee gained a new name, and was called the ſonne of Venus: ſo may wee write of our deſires, that by our words they appeare gracious, but by our actions they are led by our ſoules, which liue in our ſenſes, to be too baſely effeminate and fickle. As we are wiſe-hearted Chriſtians, let vsus be carefull not to be deceiued in them. To this end let vsus neuer forget their offices both for choice and conſtancie, that when they are brought vntounto their triall before the iudgement ſeat of God, we may pleade, Lord, we hauehave carried and ſpent our deſires according to thine aſſignement.

3Thus we paſſe from their office to their obiect, as it is ſet downe in this place, namely, (the houſe of God:) which is to be conſidered two waies:

1. In the type, that is, as that place which God did then ordinarily allow for his publike ſeruice.

2. In the truth, that is, as the true Church of God, the body of Chriſt, whereof this houſe of God, whereof DAVID ſpeakes in this place, was but a ſhadow.

p. 13If we conſider it as the Tabernacle which was the place whither the Saints of God did aſſemble for the publike worſhip and ſeruice of God, then, in the obiect of DAVIDS deſires, I would hauehave you to obſerue this point, That

The godly mans heart is caried after nothing more vehemently, than after the houſe of God.

The Hebrewes had a prouerbe, Bleſſed is he that dusteth himſelfe in the dust of the Temple: by which out of the height of their deſires they bare witneſſe to DAVIDS ſpeech, Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe: Pſal. 84.4.Ps 84:4and ſhewed that they were glad with him, when others ſaid vntounto them, We will goe into the houſe of the Lord. Pſal. 122.1.Ps 122:1It is true indeed that DAVID did earneſtly deſire life at Gods hand, when hee ſaith, Returne, O Lord, deliuer my ſoule: But why was it? For in death (ſaith he) there is no remembrance of thee; Pſal. 6.4, 5.Ps 6:4Ps 6:5in the graue who ſhall praiſe thee? Marke I pray; that which ſet DAVIDS deſire on float, was not the kingdomes and glories of the world, but that hee might praiſe God after the manner of the liuing, with them that keepe holy day. He doth as it were ſet his owne glory vponupon one hand, and the worſhip of God in the aſſembly of the Saints on the other; and his heart was more violently carried after this than after that. Thus alſo was it with Paul, though he deſired to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt; yet when he ſaw his place in the houſe of God, and the vſe which the Church would hauehave of him, he knew not what to chooſe.Phil. 1.22.Phil 1:22

Hence is it alſo that the Church in the firſt and chiefe place crieth out to Chriſt,Cant. 1.1.Song 1:1 Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth. You will a…ke me, what are theſe? I anſwer: There are two ſorts of kiſſes betwixt Chriſt and vsus: Firſt, thoſe which we giuegive to Chriſt, that is, obedience and ſubiection, whereof the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh,Pſal. 2.12.Ps 2:12 Kiſſe the Sonne leſt he p. 14be angrie. Secondly, thoſe which Chriſt giueth to vsus: which are not the kiſſes of his lips, as if ordinary, outward and bodily,Prouerbs. but of his mouth: what are thoſe? God hath a wiſdome which is alſo ſometimes called,Ioh. 1.1.John 1:1 The Word, and this is the Chriſt the Sonne of the liuing God. He hath a word to ſignifie it, and this is the Scripture, which is therefore called the ſigne of his good pleaſure to vsus:Voluntas ſigni. and hee hath a mouth to declare and expreſſe it, which is the Miniſtery of the Word in the Church: therefore the Prophets vſed this phraſe,Eſay 1.20.Isa 1:20 The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it. This then was that which the Churches heart was ſo violently carried after, that God would intimate and manifeſt his deareſt louelove vntounto her in his garden of Spices, in his Wine-ſeller, in the aſſembly of the Saints by the Miniſtery of the Word.

Vſe. Oh that this might quicken our dead and dull hearts, to the houſe of God, in all places where we dwell! How would our monethly diligence bee laid aſide,Menſtrua diligentia. knowing that they are bleſſed that watch at the gates of wiſedome,Prou. 8.33.Prov 8:33 and giuegive attendance at the poſts of her doores. The impious Church-robbers can ſay, come let vsus take the houſes of God into our poſſeſſion: let vsus take them into our poſſeſſions by a better right; and comparing all the glory of the world with them, crie out with the Pſalmiſt, Why hoppe yee ſo yee high hils? Pſal. 87.2, 3.Ps 87:2Ps 87:3This is Gods hill in which it pleaſeth him to dwell. God loueth the gates of Zion aboue all the dwellings of Iacob. And ſhall not we louelove his Church? Conſider what I ſhall ſay, and God giuegive you vnderſtanding in all things. Here, euen here in the aſſembly of the Saints, God giues his beloued meat and drinke, with other neceſſarie refreſhments for their ſoules. The whole Church of God may be compared to an houſe where there are places of repaſt, and places of lodging: the Church militant p. 15may be compared to the Hall where all Gods ſeruants meet together in ſeuerall aſſemblies for their ſpirituall food; the Church triumphant to the lodgings where they reſt from their labours. As therefore we doe diſcouer our naturall appetite to meat, drinke, and cloathing, without which we cannot liue; ſo ſhould we diſcouer the health of our ſoules by a ſpirituall appetite to the refreſhments of Gods houſe, without which we cannot liue happily.

It is true indeed, that our frequent aſſemblings to Gods houſe in many places were enough to make vsus iudge that we doe vehemently affect it: but all is not gold that gliſtereth. Some come of pride, when they ſo ouerweene themſelues,I condemne not hearing in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, but this fooliſh abuſe by the ſuperſtitious. as if the ordinarie imployments of the world were not worthy to be a taske for them: and therefore they (by their good wils) will doe nothing but heare, heare, heare, as if the whole practiſe of Chriſtianitie ſtood in nothing but hearing: ſome come of cuſtome; ſome becauſe others come; ſome becauſe it is the faſhion; ſome of vaine-glory, and ſome of policie. Their motion hitherward is not naturall, proceeding from ſome internall principle of the ſpirits dwelling in them, but violent by ſome of theſe outward engines.

Therefore in the feare of God hearken what I ſhall ſay. Some Heralds tell vsus that none ought to beare gold yellow colour in Armes but Emperors and Kings, and ſuch as be of the Bloud Royall. Oh that none would beare the glittering ſhew of profeſſion and holineſſe, but thoſe that are of the race of Ieſus Chriſt the King of Kings! then ſhould we not be as the Prieſts, Prince, and people of Iſrael, a ſnare in Mizpeh to the ſimple, and a net ſpread on Mount Tabor to catch them that know vsus not with an opinion of good men and women, faithfull companions, and deare friends, when nothing leſſe.

p. 16To preuent this, and to worke the contrary, let vsus but doe as DAVID deſires, that is, dwell in Gods houſe: which yet he vnderſtandeth not of corporall habitation (for the houſe of God is no ordinarie palace for a Prince) but in reſpect of ſpirituall affection. His heart was alwaies there: not ſo much through the louelove of the outward fabricke, though neuer ſo glorious, as for the preſence there, and the duties performed. Let it be thus with vsus: let vsus not be like the baſer ſort of people in Swethland, who doe alwaies breake the Sabbath, ſaying, that it is only for Gentlemen to keepe that day; but let our hearts dwell vponupon it, and vponupon Gods houſe, which was principally ordained for it. Let our hearts be ready to meet it before it comes, and let our hearts follow after it when it is gone. If it be thus with vsus, it is the only way to root out all formalitie in vsus, and to worke vsus to walke in this duty as in the ſight and preſence of God. If it be not thus with vsus, the houſe of God will be ſo farre from doing of vsus good, that our corporall dwelling in it will doe vsus hurt. For as it is with a riuer neere Buda in Hungarie, it conuerts wood into ſtone: ſo the word will bee a ſauour of death vntounto death, and make the heart ſtonie out of Gods iuſt iudgement for the abuſe of it.

3. Motiues.We hauehave thus conſidered the obiect of DAVIDS deſires: In the applying whereof, I hauehave ſtriued to perſwade you to deſire as DAVID did. And becauſe we are backward to practiſe good duties, we therefore hauehave need of many motiues. But I will not ſtray: take but the two motiues of DAVIDS deſires in this place.

1. T…e …ith of … houſe in …ſelfe.The firſt is the worth of Gods houſe in it ſelfe, that is, the comely viſage, ſweet preſentment, or beauty of the Lord. Whence carry this obſeruation alwaies with you, That

p. 17The houſe of God hath worth in it ſelfe to draw our deſires after it.

How amiable (ſaith Dauid) are thy Tabernacles, Pſal. 84.1.Ps 84:1O Lord of Hoſts? Marke here two words; firſt he ſaith, that the tabernacles of God are amiable: That is amiable which hath worth in it ſelfe to draw our louelove. LoueLove is in the louer, and not in things loued, it being wrought in vsus and beſtowed vponupon other things vponupon our weake apprehenſions and opinions: but this amiableneſſe is in the thing it ſelfe whereto we looke, which hauing worth doth draw our deſires and affections after it. Secondly hee ſaith, How amiable! whereby he doth imply a ſecret conſultation which he doth make with his owne ſoule, concerning the excellency of the houſe of God, and a reſolution that it is ſo excellent that he cannot expreſſe it. But what was this beauty that ſet on fire Dauids deſires? Truly, there were many excellent rudiments both in the Tabernacle and in the things contained in them pointing at and teaching Chriſt to come, in which there could not but be matter of much beauty: yet this was not all, nor it may be the principall that Dauid meanes: For though (no doubt) he was an excellent Maſter of Ceremonies, both for ſigne and ſenſe, yet theſe were not they that hee beheld (for euen Kings came but to the outer Court) and the beauty of that ſtood in the common ſacrifices, the word, prayer, and praiſe, by the ſinging voices of men well ordered. You will ſay, what beauty was there in the killing and burning of an oxe? Surely none in it ſelfe, but as it was the ordinance of God, ſhewing both our guiltineſſe and lying in our owne goare, and alſo Ieſus Chriſt dying to acquit vsus. What beauty is there in hauing the Word of God read and expounded by a weake earthen veſſell? Nothing in it ſelfe, but as it is the ordinance of p. 18God for the diſcouering of God, ſeeing of ſinne, conuerting of ſoules, mortifying of luſts, and putting of life into grace. What beauty is there in hearing a man of polluted lips to pray, or in praying with him, yea though his tongue be the pen of a ready writer? Truly none in it ſelfe, but as the ſighes and grones of the heart are linked together in louelove, to knocke at the gates of heauen to talke with God, to binde and open his hands, to goe into Gods treaſury and fill our ſelues of Gods dainties, or at the leaſt to view them, and by confidence to craue and enjoy them. What beauty is there to heare a company of people to cleere their throats and to chant out a Pſalme or ſong, yea though ſpirituall? None in it ſelfe, but as by the voice the graces of the ſpirit in the heart are exerciſed; as faith in promiſes, feare in threatnings, louelove and joy in mercies, humility in arguments of power and the like: When melody is thus made to God in the hid man of the heart, this is beauty indeed.

Theſe are alſo the beauty of the Lord in our Aſſemblies, ſaue that now they are more beautifull, becauſe knowledge abounds as the waters of the Sea,Eſ. 11.Isa 11 in a more plentifull and ſeaſoning manner; as alſo now the ſacrifice is more excellent, being that one, once for all, appearing before God for vsus, and preſenting his merits to God, as a perfect and ſufficient attonement, in our behalfe in the higheſt heauens, where is glory for euermore.

Vſe 1 Seeing therefore that the houſe of God hath ſuch beauty in it, let vsus looke vponupon it, and ſo carry our ſelues that it may not be wronged by vsus, but that it may hauehave the beſt aduantage to doe vsus good. To preſſe this, I come firſt to you (my fellow labourers in Chriſt) intreating you in the bowels of our common Sauiour, not to beſmeare this beauty of the Lord to make the people out of p. 19louelove with it. You know that once the ſonnes of Ely made the people to abhorre the ſacrifices; once was too too often, God forbid it ſhould be ſo againe. It is true, wee ordinarily complaine of our people (and truly wee hauehave too juſt cauſe, it being the fault of moſt to ſeeke their owne, and not either Gods by giuing him his duty, or ours by giuing vsus our due) but be we ſure that the blacke coale be not in our own hands. It is truly ſaid that our fancy firſt wrought a face in the Moone from the vnequall enlightning of her vnequall ſubſtance; and that afterward it was thought that the Sunne had a face too (as it may ſeeme) becauſe it ſhould not be outfaced of the Moone. God forbid that we (who ſhould be as the Sunne in glorious preſidents amid this crooked generation) ſhould hauehave our blots and ſpots becauſe they are to bee found in the Moone and other ſublunary creatures, within the cope and compaſſe of our lots, our earthly heauens. It will condemne them, not helpe vsus, if they bee worſe than wee. Let them goe alone (yet with our compaſſions, teares, prayers, preachings, and examples following to reuoke them) but for vsus, take wee heede that we lay not the leaſt blot vponupon the beauty of Gods houſe, either by our Preaching, or by our Practice.

We may doe it by preaching when wee doe diſcouer 1either Idleneſſe or Pride in preaching. Sometimes Idleneſſe ſpewes in the face of this beauty, when wee ſpeake whatſoeuer commeth next hand, and making a ſhift to outrunne the houre-glaſſe with ſome verball diſcourſe, neuer aime before we ſhoot to pierce and batter the throne of Satan, that Chriſt may dwell in our peoples hearts by faith. Sometimes pride creepes vp into the Pulpet, and doth ſo ruffle in falſe colours, that the humble hearer cannot ſee God in his ordinance. Hence is it that eueryevery word p. 20ſhall be ſo marſhalled, and eueryevery ſentence with its apt fall, ſh…ll lie in ſuch aequipage, as if the owner were couſen German to that proud man of ſinne, whoſe name is ſix-hundred-ſixty-ſix.666 Hence is it that ſome are content to borrow their preachings from his Chaplaines, as Coweſta & Bercorius, and a rabble of his croaking Poſtillers, wherein they onelyonly magnifie Player-like conceits, and Frier-like elegancies, and ſo make themſelues like tinckling Cymbals tickling the eare, but not turning the heart vntounto God. Hearken (my brother) what Zerubbabel anſwered to the enemies of Iudah, who offered their ſeruice craftily to build the Temple:Ezr. 4 3.Ezra 4:3 It is not for you but for vsus to build the houſe vntounto our God: So let vsus ſay vntounto Popiſh Authors, We need none of your helpe to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, and to conuert and comfort our brethren, that they may be temples of the holy Ghoſt. Doe we not know that it is a Ieſuiticall brag, that we are not able to ſtand before them for learning and eloquence, and that all Europe is beholding to their Church for her knowledge? Do we not ſee how ready they are to feede our humors by printing and reprinting ſuch moth-eaten Bookes of theirs, as the**Such as think that a p…ore Amos & plaine Preacher is not worth the hearing. Amaziahs of the time doe moſt hunt after? Shall wee thus ſeed our enemies humors, and in magnifying our ſelues, make them ſwell who are too proud already? God forbid. I know that there may bee vſe of Popiſh Writers, to ſhew that true mens ſiluer may be in a theeues purſe (to confute themſelues, and to ſhew the confuſions of Babel) as is told them to their faces, while they are driuen to ſay, through want of ſufficient anſwers, wee are wounded with our owne weapons (ſaue that they hauehave this poore and ſilly ſleight,P…ſ…js …eunis co…ſig…in…. that all their diuiſions in opinion are compounded in the vnity of their monſtrous head, before whom they will lay their hands vponupon their p. 21mouthes when he ſhall determine) yet to lay our foundation in them (as too too many doe in Aquinas his Schoole) and to build our congregations by them, with ſuch poore and powerleſſe conceits as are ſpunne out of the word of the ſpirit, by their wiſdome of the fleſh, doth deforme the beauty of Gods houſe.

Secondly, we may beſmeare the beauty of the Lord by 2practiſe, to wit, partly by ordinarineſſe, partly by worldlineſſe, and partly by wickedneſſe. Firſt, wee may doe it by ordinarineſſe, when we doe too much frequent the company of our people. It is true that Paul himſelfe vponupon occaſion met his friends at the three Tauernes, where no doubt there was much paſſage, much people: but ſeldome hath ſome ſauour in it, eſpecially in ſports and recreations, when mirth breeds familiarity, and familiarity contempt. Oh how much honour doth bowlings, cardings, dicings and the like, ſteale from the perſons and ſeruice of the Tribe of Leui (who willingly forget that all things are lawfull, but all things are not expedient) whereas ſeldomneſſe doth make the young men when they ſee vsus to hide themſelues, the aged to ariſe and ſtand vp, the Princes to ſtay talke,Iob 29.8, 9.Job 29:8Job 29:9 and lay their hands vponupon their mouthes, as Iob ſpeaketh of himſelfe. Secondly, it may bee done by our worldlineſſe. If with Iudas we louelove the bag better than the Pulpet, and we delight more to prare with them for ours, than to pray with them for themſelues and theirs, we are ſpots and blots in the beautifull aſſembly of the Saints. What beauty is it to ſee thoſe that ſhould liue in Heauen, and draw their people after them, to liue in the holes of the earth like Moles and muck-wormes? Who will beleeue him that ſaith, Heauen is the beſt place in the world, when all his buſineſſe is to make his neſt vponupon the earth? I dare not ſay that there ought to be no care for earthly things (for we hauehave bodies p. 22that doe depend vponupon vsus as well as ſoules) but when the thorns do ſo choake the good ſeed in vsus, that the beauty of Gods houſe decaieth, then woe vntounto vsus. Thirdly, it may be done by our wickedneſſe: if the white Nazarites become as blacke as coales, if Iacobs ſmooth voice be accompanied with Eſaus rough hands, if ſtudies be turned into tap-houſes and tauernes, and holy tongues which ſhould ſpeake bleſſings, into tongues of wantonneſſe and vanity, how doth the beauty of Gods houſe in vsus looke like a ſtinking dunghill to all godly beholders? In the feare of God therefore caſt we theſe filthy coales out of our hands: we hauehave ſinned againſt Gods beauty too much already, and theſe miſerable times doe call for more beauty in our ſelues, and for more godly care by praying, preaching, and examples, that more of Gods beauty may appeare in thoſe congregations ouer which God hath made vsus Shepherds. Oh it is a fearefull caſe to refuſe (operatiue) knowledge, Hoſh. 4and to forſake the law; and fearefull ſhall be the iudgement vponupon ſuch Prieſts,Hoſh. 10. they ſhall weepe for want, thornes and thiſtles ſhall grow vponupon their altars.

Vſe 2 Thus hauehave I ſpoken vntounto you (my brethren) and ſo vntounto you as I hauehave not forgot my ſelfe: behold, if you will not heare, I will turne vntounto the people. Liſten (my beloued) you hauehave heard that Gods houſe hath glorious beautie to draw you to louelove it. I beſeech you by the mercies of God to yeeld vntounto two ſuites which I ſhall make vntounto you.

My firſt ſuit is that you willl bee prouoked and fiered with this beauty. I could tell you that the name of this place is the Lord is there: that Ieſus Chriſt walketh about this candleſticke: that the Holy Ghoſt is preſent to ſecond the word in the hearts of all beleeuers: that the good Angels doe pry into with admiration, the holy fellowſhip p. 23which we hauehave with God and man: but, though I doe paſſe by the beauty of perſons, the beauty of things may (through Gods bleſſing) preuaile with vsus. Would you goe to heauen? It is the beauty of Gods houſe which ſhall lift you vp thither. Would you faine ſee Satan vanquiſhed? it is the beauty of Gods houſe ſhall doe it: the preaching of the Goſpell ſhall make Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning. Would you diſcouer the wickedneſſe of your owne hearts, that you may amend? It is the beauty of Gods houſe that is the diſcerner of our thoughts and intents of our hearts.Heb. 4.12, 13.Heb 4:12Heb 4:13 Would you willingly ſee God in his ordinances, and more than an earthen veſſell in the congregation of the Saints? It is the beauty of Gods houſe that will manifeſt the ſecrets of your hearts vntounto you,1 Cor. 14.24, 25.1 Cor 14:241 Cor 14:25 and will make you fall downe on your faces and ſay plainly, God is in vsus indeed. It is true indeed, you will ſay that you can pray, and ſing Pſalmes, and that you can hauehave the word of God at home; and therefore this is no ſuch great beauty. But let me ſay with the Apoſtle,Heb. 13.22.Heb 13:22 I beſeech you ſuffer the words of exhortation, for I hauehave written vntounto you in few words: as if I ſhould ſay, It is neceſſary that with a good heart you goe to behold the beauty of Gods houſe in the preaching of the word, becauſe the Scripture is ſo briefe.

My ſecond ſuit is, that you would doe your beſt to make the beauty of Gods houſe appeare more beautifull through you. He that ſeeth the worth of a thing thorowly, will doe his beſt to make it appeare the more worthy through him, both in affection, in word, and in action; he will thinke of it more intirely, hee will ſpeake of it with greater praiſes & commendations, and (if it be within his reach, and he be capable) he will doe his beſt to procure it. So let vsus deale with the houſe of God and the beauty p. 24thereof: let vsus thinke of it as of the glory of Iſrael, the teſtimony of Gods preſence: Let vsus not thinke our beſt words too good for it, either in thankſgiuing to God, that we hauehave had it thus long, or in praying to him that hee would be pleaſed for Chriſts ſake to continue it amongſt vsus ſtill, or in commending it to others, and perſwading them to giuegive it that right and place in their hearts which it requireth: and for our actions, ô that we would liue worthy of it. Holineſſe becommeth Gods houſe for euer; from which if we degenerate, what can we expect but that God ſhould take away this beauty, and giuegive vsus vp to vile affections, to goe a whoring after our owne inuentions?

What ſhall I now ſay vntounto you? I will put you in minde of a pretty cuſtome in Hungary. If an Hungarian bee called a coward, he doth neuer waſh off the diſgrace, except he hauehave proued himſelfe in ſingle combat with a Turke. I confeſſe I hauehave done as much as called you all cowards. He that vſeth ſwitch and ſpurre, doth as much as tell others that his horſe is dull: and he that vſeth preſſing exhortations and motiues, doth all one as if he ſhould tell them that they are dull of hearing, and too ſlow to right their owne cauſes, againſt the propenſity of their curſed natures to the contrary. You ſhall neuer waſh off this aſperſion, except you enter Duell with that damnable Turke (Security.) I might tell you how it lulleth vsus aſleepe in a curſed peace, and makes eueryevery one of vsus from top to toe neither to minde heauen nor hell: how it makes vsus pollute our conſciences, and ſinne againſt them for a friend, for a ſee: how it makes the foundations of the earth to be out of courſe: but I paſſe theſe things, and intreat you only to ſee how it makes vsus prophane Gods Sabbaths, & pollute his ordinances, becauſe it doth blinde vsus from ſeeing the beauty of the Lord. Oh therefore as wee louelove God p. 25and our ſoules, let vsus fight againſt it by walking as in the ſight and preſence of our God; and as by thinking, ſpeaking, doing, all things in this meeting, as if the great king of heauen and earth were with vsus, in our charge, inquiry, verdict, and ſentence; ſo by humbly crauing at Gods hand, with the blinde man in the Goſpell, Lord that I may receiue my ſight: that wee ſeeing Gods beauty may admire it, we admiting it may be moued by it to cleaue to God and his goodneſſe, in the aſſemblie of the Saints. Thus much of the firſt motiue of Dauids deſires.

There is yet another motiue whereby he did prouoke himſelfe to louelove Gods houſe,2 Matter of direction in it. and that is matter of direction to be found there, implied in theſe words (To inquire in his Temple.) As if he ſhould ſay, There I may conſult with God and know what is beſt for me to beleeue and doe. It may be Dauid had reference to that holy oracle,Pſal. 28.2.Ps 28:2 towards which (to helpe his faith) he held vp his hands in prayer: but yet Gods houſe is an ordinary place of inquiry alſo. I went vntounto the ſanctuary of God (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) then vnderſtood I their end and was ſatisfied. Pſal. 73.17.Ps 73:17For if we muſt heare the word of God not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God: 1 Theſ. 2.13.1 Thess 2:13then how hath it not power to bring vsus all manner of content and ſatisfaction, in thoſe neceſſary ſcruples that may ariſe in our ſoules? If I ſhould ſay of Gods houſe as of thoſe riuers in Tranſiluania, wherein there are found lumpes of gold which weigh a pound weight, then I make no queſtion but it would be a motiue ſtrong enough. Why ſhould it bee leſſe when I ſay that there we may inquire? ſeeing this is the way to get wiſdome, whoſe merchandiſe is better than ſiluer, Pro. 3.13, 14.Prov 3:13Prov 3:14and whoſe gaine is better than gold.

Thus we hauehave conſidered Gods houſe in the type: now in the truth. You muſt know that Dauids deſires reached p. 26further than his owne time. As when he deſired the waters of the Well of Bethlehem, his deſires reached, as ſome thinke, to our deſires after Chriſt borne at Bethlehem, who is called the deſire of the Nations: ſo when in baniſhment or other diſtreſſe, he deſires Gods houſe, his deſires doe reach vntounto ours after the Church of God, the body of Chriſt. Lay therefore downe this ground from hence: that

We muſt hauehave earneſt deſires to be of the true Church of God.

Mallem eſſe membrum eccleſiae quàm caput imperij.That Emperours heart muſt be in eueryevery one of vsus, who ſaid; I had rather be a member of the true Church, than the head of an Empire. To vrge this, conſider theſe foure points.

1Firſt, that in the Church onelyonly the fountaine of the houſe of Dauid is opened vntounto vsus for ſin and for vncleanneſſe:Zach. 13.1. Mat. 1.21.Zech 13:1Matt 1:21 becauſe Chriſt is the Sauiour of his people. It is ſaid of one of the Canary Ilands, that it hath no water to be found in it, yet that through the prouidence of God, the people want none, for there doth grow a certaine Tree which is couered with a miſty Cloud, whereby it becomes ſo moiſt, that it abundantly drops downe water to ſuffice both man and beaſt. Such a Tree of Life is Ieſus Chriſt vntounto his Church; for though he be clouded and couered with the vaile of infirmity, yet to his Church which hath fellowſhip with him by faith, hee doth drop downe the ſweet liquour of grace for grace, to the refreſhment of their ſoules.

2Secondly, that the Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt, doth onelyonly dwell in the Church. All other companies of men whatſoeuer are but the ſties of Satan; yea, though the courts of Princes.Ezek. 48. Eſ. 45.14.Ezek 48Isa 45:14 But the name of Gods City is, The Lord is there: yea, Aethiopia, Sabaea and Egypt ſhall ſay, God is in her; Apoc. 1.Rev 1yea, Chriſt is in the middeſt of the ſeuen golden Candleſticks: and when his father and his mother ſought him p. 27ſorrowing, they found him in the Temple, to teach vsus where we ſhould finde him euer after, to wit, in the true Church of God.

3Thirdly, that our being in and of the Church is that thing alone which can comfort vsus in all our ſeruice, and ſecure our hearts that it ſhall be acceptable to God. Who were thoſe that were rewarded with the euening penny, but thoſe that laboured in the Vineyard to the end of the day? There were many heathens that laboured well; yea,Mat 20.Matt 20 ſo well that they ſhall condemne many thouſands of Chriſtians that come ſhort of them in ciuill righteouſneſſe: yet they had no true comfort, becauſe their ſeruice was not to the true God, nor in the Vineyard of the Church.

4Laſtly, the Church is often compared in the Scripture to the Kingdome of Heauen:Mat. 13.Matt 13 and that both in reſpect of diſtance, the men of the world being as farre in goodneſſe from the men of the Church, as heauen from earth: and in reſpect of influence, the Church deriuing her miniſteriall helpes to a new generation to all within her reach and fathome: as alſo in reſpect of the Churches imployment from God to bee none other but the gate of Heauen (as Iaacob ſaid of Bethel) and a nurſery for the Kingdome of glory. Now would it not be an vnſpeakable comfort to be aſſured that wee liue in the Kingdome of Heauen? I know that we hauehave many troubles and vexations of ſpirit, many fightings within, and terrours without, but what can they hurt our happineſſe ſo long as we are in the Kingdome of Heauen?

Vſe. Let eueryevery one of vsus therefore conſider diligently with our ſelues theſe foure grounds: and as wee doe finde the truth of them, ſo let vsus bee carefull to further our deſires with them to the true Church of God. What will it auaile vsus to be of that company wherein wee cannot bee aſſured p. 28that there is the fountaine of the houſe of Dauid? Will it profit vsus to ioyne our ſelues with that ſociety wherein there is not God and Chriſt in grace as well as in power? Can we looke for any good in thoſe aſſemblies where is not the Kingdome of Heauen, and wherein if we worke we cannot looke for Gods penny? No ſurely.

Queſt. Will you aske me then, how you ſhall know your ſelues to be of that Church, that ſo your ſoules may ſtill goe after it as the Spouſe of Chriſt?

Anſ. I anſwer, you ſhall know it three waies.

Tranſire in Chriſtum.1 By your head.

2 By your coapting and fitting to be vnited to him.

3 By thoſe ligatures and ties whereby you are knit vntounto him.

1. Firſt, wee ſhall know our ſelues to bee of the true Church, if Ieſus Chriſt be the head of that Church whereunto we cleaue: we are ſure that that is the true Church whereof Ieſus Chriſt is the head, but we cannot be certainly aſſured that that is it which hath the Pope to be another princely, ſpirituall, and monarchicall head, no though but miniſteriall.

1Firſt we are ſure (I ſay) that that is the true Church whereof Ieſus Chriſt is the head. For firſt, Chriſt hath all things ſubiected vntounto him for the Churches ſake. As hee is God he hath all things ſubiected vntounto him for his owne ſake: as Mediatour he hath a purchaſed ſubiection for his Churches ſake:Epheſ. 1.22, 23.Eph 1:22Eph 1:23 as the Apoſtle ſaith, God hath put all things vnderunder his feet, and hath giuen him to be the head ouer all things, to the Church which is his body. 2Secondly, Chriſt hath moſt perfectly, whatſoeuer may be moſt neceſſary for the life and ſaluation of his Church. It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell, Col. 1.19. & 2.9. Iohn 1.16.Col 1:19Col 2:9John 1:16and out of his fulneſſe we all receiue grace for grace: he being made of God vntounto vsus, wiſdome, p. 29righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and redemption. 1 Cor. 1.30. Apoc. 9. Ioh. 10 27, 28. Eph. 5.26. Rom. 8.1 Cor 1:30Rev 9John 10:27John 10:28Eph 5:26Rom 8He doth redeeme the Church by his bloud, preſerue it by his power, inſtruct it by his Word, renue and lead it by his Spirit. 3Thirdly, in all the controuerſies betwixt God, his creatures, and the Church, ſhee hath none to anſwer for her, to pleade her cauſe and procure her peace,Eſ. 9.6. Eph. 5.23.Isa 9:6Eph 5:23 but onelyonly Ieſus Chriſt the Counſellor and Prince of peace, as the wife her huſb…nd. 4Fourthly, Chriſt doth the duty of a Head; that is, giuegive ſpirituall ſenſe by the ſauing vnderſtanding of ſpirituall things; and motion, by giuing ſtrength and power to walke in them. Yea, he doth knit and ioyne the parts together to him by merit and ſpirit,Eph. 4.16.Eph 4:16 and giuegive effectuall power to eueryevery p…rt to doe its office. Yea, he ſo farre doth theſe good offices for his Church as her Head; that as the head cannot be taken from the body without the certaine death and ruine thereof: ſo (as it is well ſaid) without Chriſt the Church is nothing elſe but as a dead carkaſſe. Thus Chriſt being the vndoubted Head of the Church, we may be ſure that that is the true Chruch whereof hee is the Head.

2Secondly, wee cannot bee aſſured that that is the true Church whereof the Pope is the head: and that vponupon theſe grounds.

Firſt, we hauehave no aſſurance that Ieſus Chriſt requires a Deputy in this world (to wit, as Mediatour) for wee know that a Deputy ſerueth to ſupply the abſence of the principall; whereas Chriſt is alwaies preſent by his word & ſpirit.Mat. 28.20. Ioh. 14 16. Totum Chriſti ſecu…m eſſe eſſent a…c. Act. 3.21. Totu… Chriſtus ſecundum …ſ… p…rſon…e. Act. 2….28. Io… …Matt 28:20John 14:16Acts 3:21Acts 2:28 If you ſay that he is abſent in reſpect of bodily preſence; I confeſſe, that if you reſpect the whole eſſence of Chriſt, his body is in Heauen, and the Heauens muſt containe him till his comming againe: but if you doe reſpect the whole perſon of Chriſt, of whom when the Scripture doth ſpeak…, it doth attribute that vntounto whole Chriſt, which is proper p. 30to either nature; ſo we ſay that Chriſt is preſent with vsus though his body be in Heauen, becauſe we are not without the bleſſed communion and fellowſhip of the diuine nature. Neither to his ſufficient preſence doe we neede his body now, for though the Kings body bee onelyonly at the Court, yet is he a ſufficient head for gouernement vnderunder God of his whole Kingdomes as his body politike.

Secondly, we cannot be ſure (if Chriſt were altogether abſent) that any man in the world, by vertue of any coined diuine anointing, is able to ſupply his place. For though as God the Kings and Princes of the earth are his Deputies to ſee his lawes obſerued, and to execute his iudgements, becauſe he hath made them ſo: yet as Mediatour and Head of the Church he hath none; partly, becauſe he hath made none;Heb. 7.24. foreign.Heb 7:24 and partly, becauſe his office is ſuch as paſſeth not from one to another. For eueryevery worke of a Mediatour is a compound worke, iſſuing from two natures concurring in the ſame action, as the carued worke of Aholiab and Bezaleel, was the iſſue of their bodies and ſoules: in which reſpect there is required a ſtrength aboue any created power.

Thirdly, (becauſe the Papiſts ſay, that the Pope is not the head of the Church in ſuch a ſoueraigne and principall manner as Chriſt, but the Miniſteriall Head ouer the whole Church vponupon earth) therefore I adde this, that we cannot be ſure that a deputation of any inferiour gouernment and miniſtery, is put ouer to any one man whatſoeuer. For there are three things which doe hinder our through perſwaſion in this point.

Firſt, that Chriſt doth reſerue euen outward adminiſtration in his owne power. For it is he which ſendeth forth his word and ſpirit, which hath ordained a miniſtery, fitted Euangeliſts, Paſtors, Doctors, whence he is called the p. 31Arch-ſhepherd: It is he who aſſiſteth his miniſtery with power; and hath prouided the trumpet and ſword of the magiſtracy to call and to diſſolue counſels, to ſummon and to diſparcle armie…, to defend his Church (ſo farre as it is good for her) from Satan the liar by hereſie, and Satan the murtherer by perſecution. Therefore what need hauehave we of a miniſteriall head?

Secondly, that there is no miniſteriall head but muſt worke miniſterially that which the principall head doth principally: For elſe it is but a rotten head, ſuch as the Wolfe found in the caruers ſhop, without wit or braines: But no mortall man nor Angell can doe that which Chriſt our head doth: becauſe the office of his headſhip is executed by two natures, concurring in one perſon Chriſt, as I ſaid before.

Thirdly,Chriſto ſ…cluſo. that then there ſhould be a Lordlike power ouer the whole Church vponupon earth, out of Chriſt in ſome creature; which cannot be. For ye know what Paul ſaith, There are many diuiſions, or diuerſities, of miniſteries, 1 Cor. 12.5. foreign.1 Cor 12:5or adminiſtrations, but the ſame or one Lord. So that as it is with Kings who are neuer out of their kingdomes, though there are diuers officers vnderunder them, yet there is but one in whom there is Regall power, and that is the king himſelfe: ſo in this kingdome of heauen vponupon earth, the Church I meane, though there are diuers offices, yet hee keepes the royalty in himſelfe: which if he hauehave put ouer vntounto another, it muſt either faſten vponupon him ſloth, or at the leaſt eaſe to put the burthen of gouernment vponupon a weaker perſons ſhoulders, or it muſt make vsus ſay that hee hath done a needleſſe thing, to make a ſubſtitute in his own preſence to doe that which is impoſſible.

4. Laſtly, if Ieſus Chriſt were abſent, and it were poſſible that there could be a deputy, yet wee cannot bee ſure p. 32that the Pope is he. And of this I ſhall giuegive you foure grounds of ſuſpicion.

Firſt, becauſe it ſtandeth vponupon improbable interpretations, ſuch as can neither ariſe properly nor figuratiuely, ſuch as cannot be deriued by any ſucceſſion to confirme the doctrine which they now hold concerning their great head. They ſay that God ſaid to Peter, Thou art Peter, and vponupon this rocke will I build my Church: and to thee will I giuegive the keies of the kingdome of heauen: and againe, feede my ſheepe. Therefore, they ſay, he ſaid to Peter (as their new doctrine concludeth) I make thee Vicar and miniſteriall head ouer all the world, both for order and iuriſdiction, ouer all Biſhops, all Chriſtians; to ſet out the rule of faith, lawes, diſpenſations, ouer all the world, to trample vponupon kings, and to decree them to butchery or honour, as they ſerue for the good of the Catholike cauſe. Now how this and the like ſtuffe can bee inferred from the words of Chriſt to Peter, to vphold their monarchicall head, I would intreat you to call your beſt Logicke to an account and to doe your beſt to iudge.

Secondly, becauſe the Pope pleades more for himſelfe than he doth for him from whom he pretends to receiue deputation. He is like an vnfaithfull friend, who being ſent to ſpeake a good word, ſpeakes one for his friend and two for himſelfe. For what is it that doth imbroyle the whole Chriſtian world more than the Popes monarchie? All kingdomes muſt be at his diſpoſe, that ſo ſuch Princes as he can traine vp in dull ignorance, may through ambition be prouoked to be his white ſonnes, that they may attaine to great honours, and other mens inheritances, vnderunder him. All muſt be Hereticks that are not within his Pale. The word of God muſt depend vponupon his allowance. Scripture muſt be no Scripture except he looke fauourably vponupon it, and giuegive it what ſenſe pleaſeth him. p. 33Kings muſt be no Kings, if it pleaſeth him to excommunicate them: and we muſt be no miniſters, becauſe our calues are cow-calues, (as that bleſſed Martyr Woodman anſwered the Biſhop of Chicheſter, who wanted the Popes Bull to conſecrate or confirme him in his Biſhopricke) with many other prettie toyes.

Thirdly, becauſe all the notes of the great Antichriſt that are in Scripture doe agree to him, to wit, the Pope, as is maintained to his face by our dread Soueraigne, and the reuerend Father Biſhop Downame in his treatiſe of Antichriſt, and in his Diatriba of the ſame ſubiect. It is true indeed, they would make vsus beleeue that his chayre is made of Iriſh wood, to which no copwebs of falſhood can cleaue, nor any venomous creature come neere without death: and that his Church is like that which the mariners built in Illiria to Saint Iohn de Maluatia, whoſe very morter was tempered with malmſey; a ſweet and precious Church: but all the water in Tyber will not waſh off that imputation, except he doe penance for his ambition and oppoſition, and become ſuch a Biſhop as the primitiue godly Fathers were.

Fourthly, becauſe it cannot be ſhewed that Chriſt hath appointed the Pope to be his Vicar, hee often ſpeaketh of the Holy Ghoſt, as when he ſaith,Ioh. 14.26.John 14:26 The Holy Ghoſt whom the Father will ſend in my Name, he ſhall teach you all things: and againe, When he is come which is the Spirit of truth, Ioh. 16.13.John 16:13hee will lead you into all truth: but he neuer ſpeaketh of the Pope. If he doe, let him ſhew it: if he doe not, let him conſider how hatefull it is for a man to put himſelfe into ſuch high commiſſions without warrant from God: and how iuſtly wee may lay this in his diſh, No man taketh this honour but he that is called of God as Aaron was.

Thus (I hope) you perceiue that we cannot be aſſured that that is the true Church, whereof the Pope is the head. Vſe. Oh p. 34therefore (my beloued countrey-men) leane not to him and to his politicke apoſtaſie: lift vp your heads and behold by faith the bowing pillars of his proud monarchy. All his diuine vnction cannot foreſee, nor all his keyes and ſwords helpe himſelfe from that miſerie which the Kings of the earth (who are and ſhall fall from him) ſhall bring vponupon him. As therefore Moſelanus a Iew, when hee had killed a fowle, whoſe flight the hoaſt of Alexander expected to prognoſticate good or euill ſucceſſe by, ſaid vntounto them, What a foule ſhame is it for ſo many worthy men to ſeeke knowledge of her, that knew not what ſhould happen to her ſelfe? So ſay I, What a ſhame is it for ſo many wiſe men to ſeeke wiſdome and direction from him, who is not wiſe enough for himſelfe, but rageth now like the deuill becauſe his time is but ſhort, and yet cannot ſee it? Surely, as he that died of the bite of a weaſell, lamented becauſe it was not a Lion: ſo will ſuch at the laſt lament that they hauehave fallen by that weake one (though neuer ſo great in the eyes of his flatterers) whoſe very throne ſhall fall as a milſtone into the ſea, to wit, with great violence, noyſe, horrour, and trouble to the world.

2But now you will ſay, Put caſe that we account Ieſus Chriſt our head, yet if we are not of his body, we are not of that Church whereof he is the head. It is true: therefore that you may know your ſelues to be of the body, I muſt goe two ſteps further.

Richar. Tranſire in Chriſtum, et coaleſcere cum Chriſto. Membra ſecundum praeſcientiam, et ſ…cundum praeſentem iuſticiam.Firſt, I muſt ſhew you how God doth fit vsus to be made one with our head, and to be members of his body. We are falſly charged to require inward qualifications of holineſſe in eueryevery member of the Church (for there are members in Gods Book before calling, as well as ſuch as are called, and of ſuch as are called there are members by profeſſion, which do admit of a cutting off) yet if we would aſſure our hearts p. 35that we are ſo in the Church, as wee are alſo of it,Membra, 1. Numero, 2. Merito et electione, ut corruptè à ſcholaſticis pro opere et electione. we muſt be inwardly coapted and fitted to be made one with him.

Now for this fitting of vsus for our head, it muſt be by three actions of our good and mercifull God.

Firſt, God muſt cut vsus from the wilde oliue, that is, he muſt ſeparate vsus from corrupted Adam, as we are borne after his curſed image. To this end God giueth vsus by the law a ſight of ſome one ſinne, which hath haply made deepeſt gaſhes in our conſciences, together with the puniſhment due vntounto it. At which ſight, we ſuſpecting what all our ſins may deſerue, if God ſhall muſter them together, through compunction of heart we are brought to a deteſtation of our former eſtate, and ſo to a caſting off of our tranſgreſſions that we may not die.

Secondly, God muſt pare vsus to put vsus into the true oliue, Chriſt, by humiliation: when we ſee how fearefully wee lie liable to Gods iuſtice, we, deſpairing of all helpe and comfort elſewhere, doe humbly lay our ſelues downe at Gods feet, to bee diſpoſed to ſhame, ſorrow, feare, confeſſion, prayer, and application of ſpirituall reaſons to our carnall hearts, to mortifie and dead our corruptions according to Gods Word.

Thirdly, God muſt ingraft vsus into Chriſt. How is this? When by the power of the Word and Spirit he doth worke faith in our hearts; by which wee comparing the bottomleſſe pit of our ſinful eſtate, with the height, length, bredth, and depth of Gods louelove to vsus in Chriſt, and ſee…ng there ſuperabundant ſtore of louelove, merit, power, to doe vsus euerlaſting good, our hearts are ouercome to ecche out to God; I come Lord, I come: and ſo the Father beſtoweth the Sonne vponupon vsus, and vsus vponupon him.

Vſe. Now men, brethren, and fathers, hearken what ſecuritanes can perſwade themſelues that they are of this p. 36Church, though they hold their heads neuer ſo high amongſt vsus; none, none can doe it? Are they, that are corrupt and lie rotting in carnall wiſedome, and proud enmitie againſt God, that goe a whoring after pleaſures, profits, honours, according to their ſeuerall diſpoſitions, are they (I ſay) cut off from the wilde oliue? Are they, whoſe ſoules were neuer filled with ſhame, ſorrow, feare for ſin, and who neuer from a bleeding heart confeſſed their particular ſinnes vntounto God, or from a melting ſoule begged pardon, reſoluing for euer after to be diſpoſed as God ſhall pleaſe, are they (I ſay) pared and made fit to grow into one bodie with the head? Are they who neuer hauehave had experience of ſin-ſicke ſoules, who doe neuer ſee by any comfortable adiudication their wants ſupplied in Chriſt, who do not pant after him in ſuch meanes as God hath appointed, are they (I ſay) ingrafted into Chriſt? No, no, when theſe things come to paſſe, heauen and hell will be all one kingdome. As you will be kind and louing people to your ſoules, therfore apply theſe three particulars to your hearts: and neuer thinke your ſelues to be of the true Church (though you are in it) till you find them in ſome meaſure wrought in you.

Gentlemen, who are giuen to that ſtudie, know that there is an abatement of honour in Heraldrie to him that telleth a lie, or is deuoted to the apron, or committeth Idolatry to Bacchus. And do we not thinke that God will clip the wings of thoſe who thinke to fly aloft to this honour to be of the true Church, and yet liue in ſinne? Yes, write this for a truth, that as ſure as all are not Iſrael according to the ſpirit, which are of Iſrael according to the fleſh, ſo ſurely none are vniuocall members of that Church wherof Chriſt is the head, but thoſe who find in themſelues this totall alteration from their eſtate naturall, to a feeling and comfortable eſtate in Chriſt Ieſus.

p. 37But ſecondly, you will now aske me what are thoſe ligatures and ties whereby we are knit vntounto Chriſt, that wee may grow together with him? For thoſe are of the true Church, who are knit vntounto Chriſt by the true bands: I anſwer therefore, that they are the ſauing and ſauourie truths in the word of God. This is that alone which makes our faith apt to conglutinate and glew vsus to Chriſt: Who is my mother? (ſaith Chriſt) and who are my brethren? Matth. 12.48.Matt 12:48Who are thoſe that are knit vntounto me by the neereſt bond? They that heare the word of God and doe it; that is,Luke 8.21.Luke 8:21 they that receiue the truth of Gods word by faith, and conforme themſelues vntounto it; theſe are the men. Antiquitie cannot knit vsus vntounto Chriſt, for age is no crowne of honour, except it be found in the wayes of righteouſneſſe. Succeſſion cannot doe it, except together with it wee depart not from the true faith which was formerly holden.Bonum et verum convertuntur. Vnitie cannot doe it, except it be good, and nothing is good which is not true. The bare titles of Catholike, and Apoſtolike cannot doe it, except together we forſake not the Catholike and Apoſtolike doctrine and truth. Holineſſe cannot doe it, except it be holineſſe agreeable to the truth, without which there is none: for Chriſt ſaith, Sanctifie them by thy truth. Ioh. 17.John 17Thus you ſee that truth is that very glew and cyment in the hand of faith, that muſt knit vsus vntounto our head.

Vſe. Oh therfore let vsus ſtriue and contend for the faith, as Iude ſpeaketh, which was once giuen vntounto the Saints. Iude v. 3.If euer we ſtroue for it, now is the time; now more than euer (becauſe their deſtruction is neerer) doth the Pope hound out (as our Soueraign termeth it) great ſwarmes of Ieſuites to diſgrace the Scriptures, and to ſteale away the word of truth from vsus. Bleſſed is he that holdeth faſt in this fearefull time of temptation.Apoc. 16.15.Rev 16:15 Behold I come as a theefe (ſaith Chriſt) bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments (of holy truth p. 38and true holines) leſt he walke naked, and men ſee his filthines.

Ob. It may be you will ſay, That if truth knit vsus to our head, truth is at Rome.

Sol. I anſwer, that it may be ſo: for Antichriſt ruffles as God in the temple of God,2. Theſ. 2.4.2 Thess 2:4 which hath the Scripture: but the Church of Rome, the Popes apoſtacie, conſiſting of head and members vnited by the doctrine of Trent, hath it not.

Ob. If you ſay that the truth was once at Rome:

Sol. I grant it; but it doth not follow that therefore it ſhould be there now:A fuiſſe ad eſſe non ſequitur. Eſ. 1.21, 22. 1. Theſſ. 1.8.Isa 1:21Isa 1:221 Thess 1:8 the faithfull Citie may become a harlot, and her wine may be mixed with water: and Theſſalonica, from whom ſounded out the word of the Lord in Macedonia and Achaia, and whoſe faith which was towards God, ſpread abroad in all quarters, is now a cabine of vncleane Turkes: yea, and who knoweth not that a chaſte virgin may in time become a ſtinking harlot? Euen ſo is it with Rome.

Ob. If you aske mee, When went the truth from Rome? for ſome or other muſt needs obſerue it.

Sol. I anſwer, Is it not gone except I can ſhew the time? An apple may be rotten, though I cannot ſhew the time when it began; becauſe it began at the coare: A man may be ſicke vntounto death, though I cannot tell when his diſeaſe began to preuaile againſt him. So the Church of Rome, though by reaſon of her ſtrength, and that good temper ſhee was in while Martyrs poſſeſſed her ſeat, ſhe ſtood out long before ſhe kept her bed (becauſe ſhe was not heart-ſicke at the firſt infecting of her blood) in which reſpect haply her firſt lying downe cannot be obſerued of euerie eye: yet hee that hath but one eye may ſee that ſhe is ſicke vntounto death, by her ſicke and powerleſſe actions: as her ſurfetting vponupon temporall glory,Laeſae actiones laeſas arguunt facultates. her vomiting vp of the wholeſome food of Gods word, her deſire not to be ſtirred from her old rotten couch, her pettiſhneſſe if we doe but touch her to trie whether p. 39ſicke or ſound: and many the like ſymptomes not only of a declining, but of a deſperately conſuming eſtate.

Ob. Yea, but you will ſay,That in other hereſies the perſons broaching, and the time when is obſerued.

Sol. I anſwer, That it doth not therefore follow that this can be done in Poperie, for it is a myſterie (as the Apoſtle ſaith:) and (as Iohn ſaith) Great Babylon the mother of whoredomes hath this name written in her forehead, A Myſterie. 2. Theſſ. 2.7. Apoc. 17.5.2 Thess 2:7Rev 17:5This apoſtacie of Rome held communion with the true Church ſtill:Hodiè effuſum eſt venenum in eccleſiam. and when proſperitie like poyſon was powred out vponupon the Church, ſhe tooke aduantage vponupon the deadneſſe of mens hearts to make her owne gaine; and while men were either diuerted by other occaſions, or rocked aſleepe in the cradles of eaſe, profit, pleaſure, honour, or blinded with the outward ſplendor and glorie of her whoriſh and hypocriticall attire, to ſowe tares in ſtead of good wheat: which yet was neuer ſo cloſely carried, but that ſome faithfull men ſtill obſerued her and oppoſed her in euerie age (as hath beene ſhewed by diuers,Du Pleſſis his Myſterium iniquitatis. White his Way. who ſtill lye vnſatisfied) though her policie and tyrannie ſtill did cruſh them to her power.

Oh therefore, ſeeke not truth at Rome, where you hauehave ſo good cauſes to doubt that the true head is not; yea know of old that truth hath ſought for ſuccour in Cloyſters and could finde none: ſeeke it therefore at home, where the true head Chriſt is calling vsus from our dead ſleepe of ſinne,Pauli Ferrij Schol. ortho. Spec. pag. 102. giuing vntounto vsus the habit of faith for our ſanctification, the act of faith to receiue Ieſus Chriſt for our iuſtification, the ſpirit of adoption to ſeale vsus vntounto the day of our redemption.

Ob. Be not ſcarred with this bugbeare, that we confeſſe that a Papiſt ſo liuing and ſo dying may be ſaued: and therefore the truth is good enough amongſt them. Sol. For you muſt vnderſtand it of thoſe that are in the Antichriſtian ſtate, not p. 40of it, and chained with ineuitable ignorance, (hauing the key of more diſtinct knowledge kept from them by tyrannie and policie) and doe forſake their popiſh grounds, as it is ſaid that the Biſhop of Chicheſter that then was, would hauehave had Gardner to doe, when hee did comfort him vponupon his death-bed with Gods promiſes, and with free iuſtification in the bloud of Chriſt.Fox Martyrol. To whom Gardner did anſwer; What my Lord, will you open that gap now? then farewell altogether: To me and ſuch other you may ſpeake it; but open this window to the people, then farewell altogether. Thus likewiſe Bellarmine, after his large diſcourſe of that confidence which we may draw from our workes, layeth downe this propoſition as his laſt ſanctuarie,Propter incerſitud…nem prop…iae iuſti…iae, & peri…u…um man…s glor…, tutiſſi…i… eſt ſiduci…m totam in ſola Dei miſc…i cordia et ben…gnitate reponere. that, By reaſon of the incertaintie of our owne righteouſneſſe, and the danger of vaineglorie, it is moſt ſafe to put our whole truſt and confidence in the merciemercy and bountie of God alone. Now if Papiſts ſhall doe in truth and ſinceritie of heart, as theſe ſay, renouncing the trappings of the whore of Rome, though they die in the Popiſh Church, they being chained in the fetters of Rome, they may giuegive a good ground for the iudgement of charitie to worke vponupon concerning their ſaluation with GOD.

Neither be ye moued with this which they ſo often bellow out againſt vsus, That our truth was not knowne before Luther: for though for many of our negatiues, whereby we doe deny their falſe nouelties, there was no vſe of them (though the Spirit of God foreſeeing the myſterie of Antichriſt, left ſufficient ground for them in the Scriptures) yet we willingly diſclaime all that cannot draw a longer pedigree than Poperie. Thou art of yeſterday, ſaith the Phariſie to Chriſt: Before Abraham was I am, ſaith Chriſt to the Phariſies: So may our truth ſay in reſpect of Luther; It appeared more plentifully in his time, not otherwiſe than a cleere p. 41morning after a darke and drowſie night, no otherwiſe than faire weather after a tedious ſtorme, no otherwiſe than health after a lingring ſickneſſe. And if it ſeemed to be new, wee may thanke the Church of Rome for it, which ſo preuailed with our improuident fathers through glorious titles and outward ſplendor, and the myſterie of abhominations in the golden cup, that their mother truth being iuſtled out of doores for a time, was not at the laſt, when ſhe came againe, ſcarce acknowledged of her owne children. Let vsus be wiſer and acknowledge her, though ſhee come naked and in rags, remembring that true but fearefull ſaying,2. Theſſ. 2.10, 11, 12.2 Thess 2:102 Thess 2:112 Thess 2:12 Becauſe they receiue not the louelove of the truth that they might be ſaued, therefore God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions that they ſhould beleeue lies, that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth.

Thus hauehave I ſhewed you how you may know your ſelues to be of the true Church amongſt vsus,Motiues. that ſo your deſires may pant after it. As Dauid added two motiues to prouoke himſelfe to hunger after the houſe of the Lord: ſo ſhall I adde the ſame to further vsus to deſire to be, and to be ſtill of the true Church amongſt vsus.

The firſt is the beautie of our Church,1 The beautie of our Church. which doth ſtand in the beautie of that Religion which it doth profeſſe: I know that the Papiſts doe what they can to diſgrace it, and to make it appeare ougly in the ſight of men;Pſ. 45.13.Ps 45:13 yet (though the Kings daughter be all glorious within, and her beſt ornaments without are but needle-worke, full of ſtitches and prickes: though the whore do excell in her gariſh attire the modeſt and honeſt woman; in which reſpect it cannot grieue vsus that they obiect againſt vsus, as the heathens of old did againſt the leſſe ancient Chriſtians, the want of glorie in our outward ſeruice and worſhip) yet, I ſay, there are diuers p. 42things which make our religion beautifull, aboue that which doth ſo much ſtand vponupon outward feature and proportion.

1Firſt, our religion cannot bee diſgraced without lying. She is a beautifull woman, who ſtandeth ſo for currant, except to them who will ſay, White is blacke, or that ſhee painteth, and borroweth complexion of Art, or the like, when it is nothing ſo: ſo is it with our religion. Yee know how often they charge vsus and our religion with noueltie, when yet we doe relye vponupon the firſt truth, to wit the Scriptures. So likewiſe they doe make their blinded diſciples beleeue, that we hold, God to be the author of ſinne; likewiſe, that it is enough to hauehave onelyonly faith; that the Church failed many hundred yeeres till Luther and Caluine; that all is very eaſie in Scriptures; that God forceth vsus againſt our wills, without any reſpect of our conſents; that we allow no faſting but morall temperance and faſting from ſin; that we eſteeme nothing of Chriſtian workes towards ſaluation, but condemne them as vncleane, ſinfull, hypocriticall; that God imputeth the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt to iuſtification though we be not iuſt; as if the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt applied by faith did not cure as well as couer, purge ſinne as well as pacifie Gods wrath for ſinne. Theſe and the like odious lies doe they put vponupon vsus and our religion. But bleſſed and beautifull are we when ſuch men as they are ſpeake all manner of euill againſt vsus falſely. We cannot thinke our ſelues the more deformed for their falſe charges, whoſe whole Apoſtacie is a mixture of lying and vanitie from head to taile. They call the Pope the Head of the Church, when he is neither able to be preſent with the whole bodie, nor infuſe capitall ſpirits into any one member. The Pope calleth himſelfe A ſeruant of ſeruants, when yet he ſeemes to be a prouder Lord than the Turke, p. 43breathing out nothing but ſoueraigntie and vnlimited iuriſdiction, and would thinke foule ſcorne that any earthly Potentate or King ſhould be preferred before him. Their Ieſuites will be ſo lyingly called of Ieſus the Truth; when (as it hath beene often told them, and cannot be diſproued) as Abſhalom was vniuſtly called, the Fathers peace, being the Fathers warre, ſo they are not without blaſphemie ſo called, ſeeing they doe nothing more than cunnicatch the wealthy, gull the poore, diſloyalize ſubiects, conſpire againſt Princes, vndermine States and Kingdomes, and vnderunder the hood of Religion kindle warres, and cloſely lay the cauſe vponupon others. Yea, and what is their religion but, like theſe grand practiſers, one thing in ſhew, another thing in truth, and none other but a draught of deadly wine in a golden cup.

2Secondly, our Religion ſtriues by all might and maine to keepe the head whole, and that is Chriſt only. Yee know that hee is called beautifull, whoſe head is ſo, though hee hauehave a crooked bodie, a withered hand, and a gowtie toe: ſo may our Church and Religion well be accounted; becauſe we cleaue vntounto, keepe whole and ſound, to our power, our whole head, (both God and Man by nature, Prieſt, Prophet, and King by office) that hee might be the alone Sauiour of his people. We know how the Church of Rome doth ſhare out his honour with his offices, and diuide them betweene Chriſt and others.See of this ſubiect D^r. Fownes his Triſagion. His Kingly Office is parted betweene him and the Pope; his Prieſtly, betweene him and the Saints; his Propheticall, betweene him and their traditionall Church. But for vsus,Epheſ. 1.23.Eph 1:23 we deſire that he may fill all in all things: we doe ſtriue that he may increaſe, though we and all the world periſh, decreaſe, and come to nothing: yea, as Dauid ſaid of the ſword of Goliah, which was laid vp behind the Ephod, there is none to it: ſo ſay wee of our p. 44bleſſed King, Prieſt, and Prophet, there is none to him, neither ſhall there be any but hee, in whom wee will ſeeke the leaſt dragme of beautie.

3Thirdly, our Religion is not only beautifull in the head, but ſcoureth off the leaſt blot from the whole bodie. It keepeth all the Commandements entire. When wee conſider that they were written with Gods owne finger, and deliuered with ſo many miracles, we neither dare change the firſt Commandement,See for this Hiſpa. Refor. Bellar. Ample declaration of Chriſtian Doctrine. nor daſh out the ſecond, as the Church of Rome doth. We dare not admit of the Maſſe, for feare of hauing any other god ſaue the true God. We dare not embrace Popiſh Traditions, for feare of giuing God that worſhip which is not his owne: our conſciences will not ſo farre abuſe vsus, as to giuegive vsus leaue to entertaine a ſeruice vnknowne, leſt we ſhould ſerue God in vaine, and not giuegive him his worſhip in the right manner: we cannot ſpend the Lords day in ſeeing Maſſe, or only in praying (though it be the ſweeteſt of our ſeruice) knowing that, becauſe God doth in the Commandement of the Sabbath, chiefly aime at our edification,Eſ. 2.3.Isa 2:3 we muſt goe vp to the houſe of the Lord, that he may teach vsus his waies, and wee may walke in his paths. We ſettle the Chaire of State vponupon Princes, renouncing a ſuperiour power among men, to excommunicate them: and put caſe the Pope doe, to his vtmoſt, hunge them with his Bulls, we renounce and hate the not accounting of them Kings, and the executing of them as delinquents to him, and to his Pope-holy-Church: Yet leſt wee ſhould flatter them, we tell them that they muſt be Fathers, not Tyrants, that ſo they may not be wilfull hinderers of that honour which is due vntounto them. Hauing thus preſſed vponupon the head for orderly politique gouernment, we learne of God to preſſe vponupon the heart, the ſeat of valour, that there be no taking away of life through baſe cowardiſe. Can we thinke of poiſonings, p. 45ſtabbings, vnderminings, ſtrengthning the hands of wickedneſſe, ſadding the hearts of the good by lies and impoſtures? We can ſooner looke vponupon the perſons of our enemies without malice, their wrongs without deſire of reuenge, their proſperitie without enuie, and digeſt all our griefes by venting them into Gods boſome by feruent and faithfull prayer. We preſſe vponupon the ſeat of Luſt, and teach our appetites, that as we muſt liue, ſo we muſt liue honeſtly, leſt we be a burthen to the earth. We cannot abide the ſlighting of Fornication, the blanching of Prieſts Minions and Concubines, the ſtinke of Stewes, with that curſed caution, If thou canſt not liue chaſtly, yet carrie it warily. Si non caſtè tamen cautè.We teach that honeſt perſons muſt hauehave honeſt maintenance by poſſeſſing their owne: that they muſt maintaine their right by truth. As we cannot maintaine our Religion by lying Legends, or our perſons and cauſes by equiuocation: ſo can we not but be carefull to preſſe and teach that there be no lyer amongſt vsus for gold or gaine: yea wee will not ſuffer the whole ſoule to be at reſt with her concupiſcence. Can wee flatter the heart with the neglect of the firſt motions of ſinne by the fleſh, though the ſpirit doe not conſent; as if a knaue be not a knaue, becauſe an honeſt man reproues him for it? No: wee will labour that there be peace at home without mutinie, that there be ſuch ſoundneſſe of minde, and ſuch a peaceable poſſeſſion of our owne ſoules in the enioyment of God, as nothing that is others may or doe diſquiet vsus. Thus doth our Religion rub off the ruſt of all ſinne, preſſing this as a note of an vpright man, to hauehave an equall reſpect to all Gods Commandements: yea that the leaſt rubbiſh of Hypocriſie may not (by our good wills) ſticke vponupon our Church, wee aime at and endeuour, the through mortification of the whole bodie of ſinne, and reformation of all our hearts. The Popiſh Church, whatſoeuer p. 46it talke of mortification, and what glorious ſhewes ſoeuer it doth make to that end, either by whippings (wherein yet Baals Prieſts went beyond them) or by drawing their bloud, like Phariſee draw-blouds, or by going bare-foot, like the Heathens in their bare-foot ſolemnities,Nudepedalia ſacra. or by their precious Pilgrimages, forced Faſtings, and the like; yet it is farre (and I pray God they may ſee it) from true mortification and reformation of heart. For doe but conſider that either they doe not know or will not know the right enemie wherewith they ſhould fight to this end; that is, the curſed Fleſh which is in our boſomes: For when the Scripture ſpeaketh of the luſts of the fleſh, which we muſt mortifie, they doe ſometimes vnderſtand our bodies: and therefore for the ſuppreſſing of it,Vnderſtand me not as if I did condemne Faſting and other laudable bodily exerciſes, but onelyonly as ſhewing by theſe principall weapons, what principall aduerſarie they fight againſt, to wit, the bodie. Epheſ. 5.28, 29.Eph 5:28Eph 5:29 they doe preſſe vponupon bodily exerciſes, as Faſtings, whippings, Haire-cloth, bare-foot viſitings of Temples, Shrines and the like: whereas the bodie and the ſpirit may well goe hand in hand; as the Apoſtle ſaith, No man euer yet hated his owne fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it, euen as the Lord the Church: to wit, ſo farre forth as it may be done without making Nature either proud or wanton. Sometimes againe, they doe vnderſtand the brutiſh and inferiour facultie of the ſoule, whereby it affecteth and deſireth profits, pleaſures, as meats, drinkes, cloathing, and procreation. But euen this alſo in it ſelfe cannot be ſaid to be our enemie, which being well manned, is of ſo good and neceſſarie vſe in the life of man, that without it there would neither be preſeruation of particulars, nor kindes; Nature would neither preſerue it ſelfe, nor the ſucceſſion thereof in its like. In both theſe they miſſe the marke, and ſhoot at a friend in ſtead of an enemie. In which reſpect a man may goe to the height of their taught deuotion, and yet be as arrant hypocrites as euer were. But as for our Church, the whole bent of it tends to perfect our p. 47ſanctification in the feare of God. 2 Cor. 7.1.2 Cor 7:1It makes the fleſh to be the corruption of our whole nature, both in our bodies and ſoules. The corruption of our mindes by enmitie and ignorance, of our conſciences by ſtupiditie and furie, of our cogitations by vanitie, of our wils by rebellion, of our deſires by diſorder, & the like. So that we teach and preſſe, that the minde muſt goe to the pot (as we ſay) as well as the appetite; yea the wiſdome of it (whereby we exalt our owne righteouſneſſe, and ſet vp our holineſſe and other worth as curſed idols) as well as the brutiſh folly that is in our carnall deſires. We doe not flatter the minde with an aptneſſe to ſpirituall wiſdome, or the will with an aptneſſe to will good if it be excited by the Spirit; (that ſo we may diſhonour Gods worke of grace, and make our ſelues ſomething, when we are nothing) but as we doe giuegive the greateſt glory of good (as it is wrought in and by vsus) to the minde ſanctified; for which cauſe the whole worke of our conuerſion (as it is well obſerued) is called the changing of the minde:foreign. Matth. 3.2.Matt 3:2 ſo in ſinning we make it the arch-rebell, in yeelding it ſelfe ſo freely to thinke of wickednes, ſo fully to diſcourſe of the profit, pleaſure, and honour of it, ſo friendly to parly with eueryevery ſuggeſtion which offereth it ſelfe to our corrupt hearts, that it is euen baſely bribed and blinded to giuegive way to the conſent of our wills, to the greedineſſe of our deſires, to the ſwift mouing of our affections, and to the eagerneſſe of our actions, to doe thoſe things which are wicked in the ſight of God and man. Oh how doth this make vsus to denie our ſelues, and flie vntounto him that is made wiſdome, 1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and redemption to vsus, while the Popiſh Church liuing in a ſeeming holineſſe in ſome of her choiſe members, doth yet vnholily reſt vponupon her owne wiſdome, though it be to the tolerating of Stewes, to the filling of Rome it ſelfe with the cries of Sodome. But (ſay they) p. 48what are their vnholy Stewes more than our vnholy Vſury? For if Stewes be collerated amongſt them to preuent a greater miſchiefe; ſo is Vſury amongſt vsus. But ſtay a while: As Leontines pointing to his gray haires, ſaid to the Antiochians; Hac niue liquefacta multum erit luti.When this ſnow is thawed there will be much dirt: ſo when this bliſter is pricked (may we ſay) there will appeare much vlcerous matter. For the clearing therefore of our Church in this point of Vſury, that the Stewes of Rome may the more ſtinke in the noſtrils of good men, conſider two Queſtions:

Firſt, whether England doe permit Vſury, as the Church of Rome doth the Stewes.

Secondly, whether if wee did, it might ſtand in equall ballance with a Stewes.

To the firſt I anſwer two things:

1Firſt, that England doth not permit Vſury, but reſtraine the abominable griping that was brought in by the Iewes. For if you looke into the Law, you ſhall finde it called a Statute againſt Vſury; yea it calleth Vſury a vice and ſinne, and ſaith, it is deteſtable, as you may ſee in t…e Statutes at large, where the Prefaces are; yea I hauehave heard (as I take it) men skilfull in the Law ſay, that if it can be proued by bond that a man doe but take ten ſh…llings in the hundred for Vſury, hee forfaits the whole ſumme. Therefore the Vſurers are ſo craftie, as to make their Creditours vponupon the lending of an hundred pound, to become debtors to them for an hundred and ten, or eight, or ſeuen, or the like, by bond, and not to binde them to giuegive ten pounds for the meere vſe of an hundred.

2Secondly, England dealeth not with Vſury as Rome doth with the Stewes; for ſhee doth blanch and excuſe it, and therefore ſometime they ſay, that it is but a permiſſion of a leſſe euill to auoid a greater, as Sodomy, Buggery, and p. 49the like; when yet vnderunder this cloake Ely might without blame hauehave ſuffered the ſins of his ſonnes in the porches of the Tabernacle to preuent more hainous ſinnes, and further degrees of Sodomy. Sometimes againe they tell vsus that they doe not permit them without meanes to reclaime them both by puniſhments and preachings: as if it could excuſe them to permit houſes of ſinning, that they may exerciſe their cenſures: they are mad men that build houſes for theeues, and burne them downe when they hauehave done. Sometimes againe they will tell vsus that the rents and penſions ſo gotten are imployed to maintaine penitent harlots: as if God delighted in the price of a harlot, or it were lawfull for vsus to doe euill that good might come thereof. Thus would the Church of Rome like a harlot, put a beautifull complexion vponupon an vgly face, yea from ſuch like and other filthineſſe, euen in their holy Fathers the Popes, See Bellar. in his preface to his bookes, De Pontif. Rom.they can draw an argument of glory and renowne to Peters chaire, as being a ſigne of Gods ſpeciall hand that it hath endured ſo long. But as for vsus, we are readie to condemne vſurie to the pit of hell, as God ſhall cleerely manifeſt vntounto vsus what it is, and as we alreadie doe ſo farre as we are come.

2To the ſecond queſtion, I anſwer: that if we did permit vſurie, yet it cannot ſtand in equall ballance with a ſtewes: for to ſinne againſt a mans goods, is leſſe than to ſin againſt a mans perſon, and continuance, and chaſte preſeruation in this world. That God, that will eſtabliſh the chaire of eſtate to ſuperiours, in the fifth commandement, will giuegive ſuperiours chiefly in charge the life of man in the ſixt: next to that, that their life may not ſtinke to heauen, will hauehave it preſerued by honeſtie in the ſeuenth: next to that, becauſe honeſt perſons muſt be maintained by honeſt meanes, will hauehave iuſtice in the eighth; & in the ninth commandement, p. 50that honeſt meanes may bee ſettled vponupon honeſt perſons will hauehave truth: vſurie therefore, failing againſt the iuſtice of the eighth commandement, though deteſtable in it ſelfe, yet from Gods order, ſeemes to me to be of a ſhorter ſize than the Stewes which fighteth againſt the perſon in the ſeuenth.

4The laſt beautie of our religion (which I ſhall ſpeake of) is this; That our religion needs not policie to maintaine it. It hath preuailed in all ages ſince Ieſus Chriſt, againſt all power, againſt all policie. The bloud of the Martyrs hath bin the dung of our Church. And as Pharaohs policy, when he would work moſt wiſely, could not preuaile againſt Iſrael: ſo in the greateſt Egyptian darkneſſe vnderunder the dominion of Antichriſt, our Church could not be ſo obſcured but that ſhe hath felt the ſtrength of Romes policy, & the ſtroke of her power without her ſubuerſion. And at the time when it pleaſed God to make light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, that our religion might by degrees climbe againe to its wonted glorie, what could the power of the Emperour with the policie of the Pope preuaile againſt a poore weake man,Luther. who came with the ſpirit of power in the name of the Lord? For the further propagating of our religion, it neither hath, neither doth it ſtand in need of policie. If wee ſhould hold a Councell, wee need none of the trickes of the Councell of Trent. We need not either propound our Canons in ſuch ambiguous termes, as will admit of diuers conſtructions,Vpſalenſis and Armachanus were created Ar…h biſhops (as we reade) in the Councell of Trent, who yet were Nullat…ncaſes. like the ancient Oracles of Apollo; neither need wee to create either Archbiſhops or Biſhops to fill vp the number (that our voyce may be the more full) who hauehave neither Church nor Dioceſſes. Wee need no bloudie Inquiſition to clap the title and puniſhment of an Heretike vponupon euerie one who doth ſmell either by conuerſation or conference of a religion p. 51oppoſite to vsus: wee need not that Idoll ſacrifice of the Maſſe to fill our purſes, that poore and poeticall conceit of purgatory to warme our kitchins, their Auricular confeſſion to make vsus terrible by being of the ſecreteſt counſell: wee defie to purge either Fathers or any other Authors, of their true meaning, to make them our witneſſes, or to be ſo exact in the prohibition of Hereticall bookes,Mar. Anto. de Dom. proſectionis conſilium. p. 8. 9. that carefull Students in Diuinitie, yea Biſhops may not reade bookes contrarie to our opinion without licence: wee ſay with the Apoſtle, Iudge yee what I ſay; doe not ſweare to the truth of our words, except ye finde them ſo: yea of the common people (into whoſe hands many Popiſh bookes doe fall) wee doe but deſire this fauour, that they would reade them with our anſwers, and humbly deſire God that they may finde out the truth; remembring tha… ſweet ſpeech of our bleſſed Sauiour,Iohn 7.17.John 7:17 If any man will doe Gods will, hee ſhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether we ſpeake of our ſelues. Pia mendacia.We abhorre godly lies, as they terme them, to worke deuotion & blinde obedience: equiuocating can finde no countenancing amongſt vsus: yea our religion perſwades to die, and manfully to confeſſe the name of Ieſus, rather than thus to lye. Neither theſe nor any other trickes of policie (bleſſed be God) doe we ſtand in need of, but confidently expect the turning of Achitophels wiſdome into folly, and the ruine of the ſpirituall Egypt and Sodome of Rome, in Gods due time, notwithſtanding all her politike factors and agents throughout the Chriſtian world.

Thus hauehave we conſidered the firſt motiue to further our deſi…es to be, and to be ſtill, of the true Church amongſt vsus.

The ſecond is, that in it we may inquire,2 Matter of direction in it. and hauehave full and ſound direction to bring vsus to life eternall. And that it is thus amongſt vsus may be ſeene in two things.

p. 521Firſt in this, that we hauehave the oracles of God to conſult withall,Rom. 3.2.Rom 3:2 as the Apoſtle calleth the Scriptures. EueryEvery meane Artizan with vsus may winde vp his heart from all the diſtractions and troubles of this world, by a daily conferring with God out of the diuine acts of his owne heauenly wiſdome. The booke of God is or may be in eueryevery mans houſe and hands. And if the word of the great Cham of Tartarie ſtandeth for a law, becauſe he is blaſphemouſly called of his ſubiects, the ſonne of God, and the ſhadow of God, Filius Dei, Vmbra Dei, & Anima Dei. Coloſ. 3.16.Col 3:16and the ſoule of God: then infinitely more worthily doe we account the word of our God to be a law vntounto vsus, it being the ſhadow of his wiſdome. And therefore he commanding the Coloſsians no vnneceſſarie obedience, we hold it as neceſſarie for vsus that the word of Chriſt dwell plentifully in vsus. Yea we account it our happineſſe, that as in the Iſland Rhodes the Sunne is neuer ſo masked with a cloud, but that once in a day it doth ſhine vponupon it: ſo our worldly imployments doe neuer ſo dampe and darken our ſpirituall life, light, and heat, but that there is, or may be (at the leaſt) ſome little comfortable intercourſe betweene vsus and the word of God day by day, if we be not our owne enemies. We are ſure that we are bound to follow Gods will, and therefore we are not afraid to know it. Yea we hold it our dutie as Gods children to looke into our Fathers Will and Teſtament, that we may be the better furniſhed not to breake it. And if at any time we neglect the reading and ſearching of the holy Scriptures, we doe deſire God that he would ſend his fatherly rod to whip vsus vp to more diligence; and to ſay vntounto vsus, as Ariſtippus ſaid vntounto one who asked him what was become of the friendſhip betweene him and Aeſchines, It is aſleepe, but I will awake it. Can we thinke it a fault deſeruing burning to hauehave and to reade a Bible in our natiue tongue? Or can p. 53we be ſo miſerable as not to obey God in reading the Scripture, except ſome holy Father grant vsus a licence to doe it? No: as thoſe bleſſed inſtruments who made vsus acquainted with Gods voice in our mother tongue might reioyce more than hee that made the Harpe of Thales, whereby he did appeaſe the tumult of the Lacedemonians; ſo we account it our ioy & our reioycing, that God ſpeaks not vntounto vsus in an vnknowne language, but that we can conferre with him as our fathers and mothers doe talke with vsus when they either doe or ſhould traine vsus vp in the knowledge and ſeruice of God. What ſhall we ſay then (my brethren?) Surely as Peter ſaid to CHRIST, Whither ſhall we goe? thou haſt the words of eternall life: ſo let vsus ſay to the Church of God amongſt vsus, To what Church ſhall we ioyne our ſelues, ſeeing here are the words of eternall life? If we grow ſurfetted and weary of ſo diuine a bleſſing, let me in the feare of God vpbraid you as Themiſtocles did the Athenians who were ſicke of him; Are you weary of receiuing ſo many benefits from one man? So, Are you weary of receiuing ſo many comfortable bleſſings from one booke? Well, I ſay no more of this, but pray to God to giuegive you vnderſtanding in all things; and intreat you all but to thinke vponupon this one thing,Bona à tergo formoſiſſima. that good things are beſt when they turne their backs, and will moſt wound our ſoules in their loſſe, when wee are driuen to ſay, Had I wiſt.

2The ſecond thing, wherein the full and ſound direction in our Church, for them that doe inquire, doth ſtand, is this; that as we hauehave the word, ſo we hauehave the aſsiſtance of the learned for the miniſteriall declaration and application of this bleſſed rule. Doth Gods carpenter who ſhould ſquare the Church of God by the rule of the word onelyonly dwell at Rome? Or hath any one there a commiſſion from God to p. 54ſquare out the faith and manners of a Church by his owne propheticall wiſdome without direction from the once giuen written rule? No ſurely: as we know no ſuch man by the glaſſe of Gods word; ſo (bleſſed be God) wee finde good workmen at home. God hath giuen the gift of tongues to our Church, whereby ſhe can preſent vsus Gods holy word in our owne language; and leſt ſhee ſhould be taxed of keeping the key of knowledge from others; as alſo, chiefly to ſhew her louelove to God in executing her office, ſhee hath done it already, that Gods name may be great amongſt vsus, and the meaneſt member of our Church may follow the direction of our bleſſed Sauiour,Iohn 5.39.John 5:39 to ſearch the Scriptures; Act. 17.11.Acts 17:11and the example of the Bereans, to try whether thoſe Texts which we alledge to proue our Doctrines be ſo or no. Beſide the gift of tongues, God hath giuen to our Church the gift of Interpretation. We pray to God with Dauid, Pſal. 119.18.Ps 119:18Lord open mine eyes, that I may ſee the wonders of thy Law. We deſire and endeuour in our practiſe to hauehave an equall reſpect vntounto all Gods commandements,Agant orando & bene v…v…ndo ut …ntelligant. and becauſe we cannot doe as we would, we are full of that heroicall motion of Dauid, Oh that my wayes were ſo direct that I might keepe thy ſtatutes; Pſal. 119.5.Ps 119:5and all becauſe God may not iuſtly keepe away the light of his word from vsus. We yeeld vntounto Gods whole truth, ſo farre as we are come and can conceiue it, leſt God ſhould deliuer vsus ouer to beleeue lies. We compare ſpirituall things with ſpirituall things, one place of Scripture with another, carrying the ſenſe along according to the ſcope and circumſtances of the place, and neuer willingly varying (without cleare teſtimonie from the word of God) from the generally receiued ſenſe of the true Church of God. Though ſometimes in reſpect of our perſons we looke like priuate Elihu rebuking the Ancients:Iob 32.6.Job 32:6 1 King. 22.1 Kgs 22and like priuate Micaiah defending the p. 55truth againſt many falſe Prophets, yet we ſpeake by the publike Spirit of God, as the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken in the Scriptures: yea we are ſo carefull that the true ſenſe ſhould be giuen, that we ſubiect the ſpirit of the Prophets to the Prophets: and confidently reſolue that whoſoeuer ſhall plead a ſpirit expounding contrary to the Scriptures is not an adminiſtrer but a diminiſher of Gods meaning. Againe, if any controuerſie or difficultie doe ariſe, can we ſay as the Pope, that we are Iudges in our owne caſes, or that we are the Iudges of that which ſhall iudge vsus in the day of Chriſt? No, we hate ſuch partialitie, ſuch blaſphemie. We hauehave the Holy Ghoſt,Act. 15.28. Iohn 16.8. Eſ. 2.4. Pſal. 119.106. Iohn 12.48. Luke 16.29.Acts 15:28John 16:8Isa 2:4Ps 119:106John 12:48Luke 16:29 who rebukes the world of iudgement, and iudgeth amongst the nations, and pronounceth righteous iudgements, by the word which he hath ſpoken, and ſpeaketh ſo loud as we may heare him, as the hearing heart knowes full well, to ſatisfie vsus in our doubts. And becauſe we are ſlow of heart and dull of hearing, and muſt heare by the hearing of the eare to hauehave the truth of Gods word brought home vntounto vsus;Act. 15.27.Acts 15:27 therefore as Iudas and Silas were ſent to ſpeake by mouth; ſo hauehave we the ambaſſadors of God, that are in Chriſts ſtead to publiſh and apply the ſentence of the Holy Ghoſt. Or if that be not enough, as when there was great diſſention betweene Paul and Barnabas and them of the circumciſion, there was a putting ouer to a Councell to determine that queſtion:Act. 15.2.Acts 15:2 ſo hauehave we lawfull Synods, Councels, and Aſſemblies, and all this that the doore of faith may be opened vntounto vsus, ſo long as they are built vponupon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Epheſ. 2.20.Eph 2:20Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe being the chiefe corner ſtone. Oh bleſſed be the Father of lights, and the God of all conſolation, who hath giuen vsus this comfortable direction. How miſerable were we if we had not the word whereat wee might inquire? And how much comfort p. 56ſhould we want, if we had not the miniſterie of it to declare and apply it vntounto vsus? As therefore it is with the heart of man, though naturally it be heauy, yet it is not carried downeward but with another naturall motion for the health of the whole bodie it is carried to and fro: ſo though naturally we are carried after nouelties, and are too too apt to follow the directions of our owne mindes, yet by another naturall motion of grace, let vsus in our eager deſires be carried after our Church, where we hauehave ſuch compleat direction for a godly and humble Chriſtian ſoule.

Cat…dra in calis habet qui corda mo…t.Thus hauehave I whetted your deſires to pant after the type and the truth. It is God that muſt moue your hearts vntounto it. To prouoke you therefore to pray vntounto him to this end, remember that as a white ſhield was anciently giuen to freſh-water ſouldiers that they might ſtriue to hauehave it garniſhed with titles and teſtimonies of deſerts: ſo God hath giuen you ſoules like bare & naked tables in reſpect of knowledge attaineable by Art or induſtry,Anima tanqu…m abraſa tabula …eſp…ſ…tentiae acquiſit…e non naturalis. or any other gift. How ſhall we ſtriue to adorne them with teſtimonies of true Gentry more than by praying vntounto God (and vſing other meanes accordingly) to write them in knowledge, faith, repentance, humilitie, and the like: and among the reſt, forget not DAVIDS deſires in this place, that you, hauing their right office, right obiect, and right motiues, may hauehave ſome comfortable teſtimonie that you are men after Gods owne heart as Dauid was.

Soli Deo gloria. Amen.