Sermon Preached 14 February 1607, Part 2
Of the olde and literall BABYLON.
Touching the olde and literall Babylon, the first point is the Churches louelove and care of her good, in these words;
The first Point.Wee would hauehave cured Babylon.
COncerning which point & all the rest, we will not pursue the particular historicall matters: considering that the history of Babylons carying Israel captiue, of their vsage in their captiuity, of their forsaking Babylon & returning home againe, & lastly, of Gods iust vengeance and destruction of Babylon, are so notoriously knowen. Therefore we will passe by the story, and stand rather vponupon matter of doctrine.
First therfore let vsus obserue this generall doctrine, namely; that a good man loues his very enemies, and not desireth onelyonly but euen seeketh their good: this did the Church of Israel to their enemies & persecutors. For these Babylonians had done the greatest hurt to the Church and kingdome of Israel, that euer one nation did to another: for first they inuaded their land vniustly; then they besieged & tooke Ierusalem, the …ea…e of the kingdome, tooke and slew their kings, ouerthrew their Kingdom, ruinated their state, burnt their Temple, defaced their Religion, killed whom they would, caried captiue whom they would, and so left their land a heape of desolationaRead for this purpose the last chapt. of this prophecy together with the ends of the books o… kings & Chronicles.: And yet worse then all this; being their Captiues at Babylon. there they mockt them in their misery, and scoft at their Religion. Come, (say they) you that are these singers, and hauehave had your Kings to be singersb2. Sam. 23. 1. Dauid &c.: you that are these great Psalme-men, and hauehave had your Kings such base fooles, as some of them to bee Prophets, some PreacherscSalomon. Ec. 1. 1. 2. …2., some song-makersdDauid, Salomon, Hezekia. &c.: Come make vsus mery with one of your Psalmes; let vsus hauehave part of your Hebrewe musicke: Sing vsus one of your songes of Syon ePsal. 137. 3.. Psalme 137. The least of these wrongs is heauie to be borne: but all put together, and especially, for a Christian after all these miseries to be mockt for his religion, and to see his God dishonored, oh how bitter is it to the spirit of a man. Yet, after all this what do Gods people? not only pardon it and put it vp; but further, doe both wish and seeke their good; We would hauehave healed Babell.
Thus to doe is a marke of Gods childe, and a signe of a true Church. For to doe euill for euill, and good for good, is no more then nature; euen the publicans, (saith Christ) doe so much aMat. 5. 46.: to recompence euill for good, is worse then nature; it is malice, & peruerse corruption: and therefore (saith Salomon); Hee that doeth so, euill shall neuer depart from his house bProu. 17. 13.. But to doe good against euill; that is aboue nature, it is grace, and a good euidence of Gods spirit: thus doing, saith Christ, you are the children of your heauenly father cMat. 5. 44. 45.
Hereupon for the vse of this doctrine, we may see a comfortable euidence, that our Church is the true Church of God; seeing that wee pray daily for the Church of Rome, which curseth vsus: and it is very obseruable, that whereas the Pope, with all solemnity excommunicates & curseth vsus all to hell, on the euening before good-FrydaydSee the Popes bull, set downe at large i… the first impression.; we, for recompence, the next day morning in eueryevery Church & chappel of this kingdom, & many places more, pray for the cō uersion & saluation of him & all his secteSee one of the prayers appointed by publike authoritie in the common prayer booke for good-Fryday.: and so by Gods prouidence it falleth out that our publike prayer for thē, is the same or the next day, when they hauehave publikely cursed vsus: and this is the facte of our whole Church in the publike liturgy, appointed of old, and stil confirmed by authority. Therfore if Christs argument be good, that priuate men, blessing their cursers, are the children of God; then sure this is not ill: the Church that blesseth her cursers, is the Church of God. Let them therfore still go on in cursing, if they needs wil: but let thē take heed, least as they louelove cursing, so it come vntounto thē, & as they cloth themselues with cursing like a garment, so it come into their bowels like water & like oyle into their bones aPsal. 109. 17. 18.: we, contrariwise, let vsus not be weary of well doing: let vsus follow that blessed Peter, whom they pretend to follow but doe not, (vnlesse it be in denying Christ) whose blessed counsell is; Render not euill for their euil, nor curse for their curse; but contrariwise blesse, knowing that we are therunto called, that we should be heires of blessing b1. Pet 3. 9.; thus doing, we hauehave Peters owne testimony against thē, that we are a Church of blessing, a blessed Church: and the Father of blessings, blesse it more and more, and all that seeke the peace of it, Amen.
Thus we see generally, they wished her well: But what is the particular good they wished her? namely, her healing and conuersion. We would hauehave healed her… here many things might be pressed; I will but point at them.
1. That it is the property of a holy man, to wish aboue al… things the spirituall good of them with whō he liues: the wicked man seekes the spirituall hurt of men; the naturall man, the carnall good: but the holy man their spiritual & eternal good. Worldly matters hauehave their time & place in his thoughts: but that that takes vp, & possesseth his desires, is the spirituall good of them he loues, namely, their conuersion, their repentance, their saluation: these things be worthy their prayers, & pains. Herein Gods children are like to God their Father, who wishing good to his peopeople, crieth out: Oh that there were in them (not the skill to rise in this world, and attaine the honours and ease of this life, but) a heart to feare me, and keepe all my Commaundements, that so it might goe well with them and theirs cDeut. 5. 25.. God wisheth no trifles to his children: But oh (saith God) that Israel were healed… and oh saith Israel that Babylon were healed! Thus do God and good men accord in their wishes. Learne thou, here, thy duty, if thou be Gods: thou wishest for, and prayest for, and seekest for many things for thy children, and thy friends, thy wife and family. Thou clothest them, & feedest them, & prouidest for them (else thou art worse then an infidell a1. Tim. 5. 8.and preferrest them, and much more: but all this is for the body. But, canst thou say, from a good conscience, I would hauehave healed their spirituall diseases: I hauehave heartily wished, and faithfully endeuoured their saluation. This is to be a true friend, a true father, a worthy husband, and a good wife: happie they that hauehave such friends neere them.
2. Obserue further, they seeke the saluation euen of their persecutors: so doth alwayes the holy man. Paul was put in prison, the gayler tormented his body, and Paul healed and saued his soulebAct. 16. 24. to the 35.. Many a sinner, is made a happie man, by his prisoner: and the Martyrs oft times by their patience, their prayers and holy instructions, conuerted their executioners & tormentors. As in the former point, a holy man is like to God: so herein, to Christ; who when Iudas and the Iewes were conspiring his destruction, the same houre was ordaining the holy sacrament, and establishing the meanes of their saluationc1. Cor. 11. 23..
Thirdly, Israel liues in Babel, & would gladly hauehave her as holy as themselues; we would hauehave healed her. It sheweth the excellēcy of the nature of holy things: they are fire (not in the flint, hardly bet out; but) in the bosome, that will not be concealed. Pro…A man is not couetous of them: He is indeede greedy to gaine them; but not to keepe them secret and to himselfe, as in worldly things wee are: nay he desires and ioyes to impart them to others; and it is the ioy of his heart to see others as good or better then himselfe.Numb. 11. 29. Woulde God (saith Moyses) all Gods people were Prophets: and Paul wished from his heart, not Felix the president and Agrippa the king alone, but that all that heard him, were like him; not a prisoner and in bonds, but in grace and goodness aAct. 26. 29.. Hardly shall a man heare such voices in the world; I wish others were as rich as I, as high as I, as learned as I, as much in credit and fauor as I. No: these things make men base and seruile, self-louers and priuately minded: but grace and holiness is of a royall and excellent nature, and inlargeth the heart wherein it is, with such louelove to other men, as nothing more contents him that inioyeth it, then to make others as good as himselfe.
Lastly, where it is said, they would hauehave healed the Babylonians with whom they liued; see what a good neighbour, a holy man is: he comes, he dwelles, he soiournes in no place, but hee seekes the good of it. Lot would gladly do good in Sodom: if hee can doe none, at least his righteous soule shal be vexed, for their sinnes b2. Pet. 2. 8.. Israel soiournes in Babel, and had rather be away; yet while they be there, they will cure her if they can: and if she cannot, yet Babel shall thereby knowe that Israel was amongst them. Thus the whole shyre and parish shall fare the better by one good man dwelling among them. Hee comes no where but presently he considers what that people wants, what is their disease, what he may doe to heale them, or any way to helpe them: he comes no where but he leaues behind him signes of his goodnesse, monuments of his holinesse, and a sweet sauor of his vertues. Thus eueryevery place is better for him where he comes: and when he is gone, his memory is blessed,Extinctus amabitur idem. his vertues praised, his name honored, & his person loued. Cōtrariwise, the wicked leaues behind him the stinke of his vngodliness, and monuments of his pride, his cruelty, his wantonness: Come (say they) let vsus leaue som tokē of our pleasures in eueryevery place aWisd. cap. 2. 9.. Thus eueryevery place is worse for him, while he staies, & his memorie rots when he is gone. Let vsus learne of Gods Church here, so to behaue ourselues in all places, where we liue, or where we come, that the good may be helped, & the euill healed by vsus, that we may be able to say; Them I found good, I encouraged: whom I found sinfull, I would hauehave healed. Thus shall we be honoured while wee are there, praysed when we are gone, and euer loued and blessed both of God and good men: and the mouth of wickednesse shall bee stopped. And thus we hauehave the particular good they wisht to Babylon; namely, her curing, that is her conuersion and saluation.
Touching which healing of Babylon, there be three particular circumstances, implied in these words;
| namely, | who | they would hauehave healed. |
| how | ||
| whom |
The first is Who they be that would hauehave cured Babylon: the Text saith, We would, that is not the Prophets alone, or the people alone, or the princes alone, but Wee, that is altogether… the Prophets would, as we may see in Daniel and Ezekiel aSee their prophecies.: the Princes would, as we may see in SHIDRACH, MISAK: and ABEDNEGObDan. cap. 3., Noble yong Gentlemen of Israel: and the people would hauehave cured her, as is plaine both here, and in the 137. Psalme.
Where we may learne, that howsoeuer properly, and peculiarly, and more principally it is the office of the Minister: Yet it belongs also to eueryevery Christian, to performe the duties of holy and spirituall edification, to them with whom he liues, for their spirituall good. Not onelyonly the Prophets here would hauehave cured Babylon, but euen those three young gallants, being noble Courtiers, gaue a worthy example, to all of their age and ranke, of admirable courage and constancie in Gods cause, chusing rather to die, then deny their God and worship an Idoll, checking the Kings impietie, and condemning his idolatry to his face, rather like Prophets then Courtiers. Such were their speeches, and such their sufferings, their words so wise, their sufferings so valorous, and all for their God, that this alone had bene sufficient to hauehave cured Babell, had she not beene incurable. Oh happy kingdome where be such Nobles, and blessed that Court, that cherisheth such Courtiers: the diuell should neuer hauehave his Church, where God hath but his Chappell, if it were thus in Christian kingdomes. The people also had their hand in this good businesse, they ceased not in all the time of their captiuitie, to vse all the means they could to bring Babel from her gentilisme, and Idolatry; and therfore here are bold to affirme whē she is at the point of her destructiō. We for our parts are no way guilty of it: nay, if she wold hauehave beene ruled by vsus, she had neuer come to this; for We would hauehave healed her.
But how would they hauehave healed her (may some say) what meanes vsed they? it is soone sayde, Wee would: words are cheape. But gaue they Babell nothing but sweete wordes? Certainely, they were carefull to vse all good meanes: which especially are
these 3.
Instruction,
Example,
Prayer.
1. By continuall instruction, laying open their errors, discouering their impieties, and laying before them the excellencie of true religion.
2. By their continuall example, practicing their own religion euen before their very faces, not fearing their scornes, and rebukes, no not the contrary lawes made purposely against thē; as we may see in the example of Daniels thrise a day praying to his God towards Ierusalem aDan. 6. 10.: the people also in midst of their mirth would weepe when they remembred Syon bPsa. 137. 1. 2., & would cast away their musicke and depriue themselues of all comforts, when they remembred the desolation of their religion. Which practices did no doubt amaze the Babylonians, & had bin sufficient to hauehave driuen them into deeper and better considerations (had they not bin incurable) and it is to be hoped that the sight hereof did good vponupon some of them.
3. They endeuoured to heale them by their prayers, praying continually and desiring God to heale them: for as the Parent is said to blesse his childe, by praying to God to blesse himcGen. 27. per …o…um. & 48. 15 &c. to 21.; so one may be said to heale another, by praying that GOD may heale him. And that they did this dutie, is no question: for it was so commanded them by the Lord; Seeke the prosperity of Babylō, & pray to the Lord for it aIere. 29. 7.. By these meanes, they endeuoured the curing of Babylon, tho they were no prophets: and by these means, may one priuate man further the saluatiō of another. Thus eueryevery good man is as it were a litle pastor to his neighbour: & happy were it for the Church of God, if all priuate persons would performe these duties, one to another.
The third and last circumstance is, whom they would hauehave healed: the Text answereth; Babel: where we obserue two points.
First, that the Israelites aymed not at the conuersion of the great ones, and men of State only, but euen at all the people of Babell. Whereby, it is apparant they sought not themselues: for then they would hauehave fisht for the great ones only or especially (as doe the Iesuites, & craftier sort of Friers at this daybSee Watson in his Quodlibets often.); but they sought the saluation of soules, which they knew to be all alike before God. For they had learned afore they came at Babel, that eueryevery soule is Gods, the soule of the sonne, as well as of the father cExek. 18. 4., and consequently of the subiect & seruant as well as of the king and commaunder, and the meanest mans as well as the mightiest: and therefore they endeuoured the conuersion of all.
The godly and conscionable Minister, must heere learne to hauehave care of the least & poorest soule in his parish, considering it is as deare and precious as the best. For, as good hands made it, as the bestdPro. 22. 2.: as precious blood was shed to saue it, as for the greatest mans on earthaGal. 3. 28. 14. Therefore, let them not bee like those proud spirits, & carnal minded men, that thinke ordinary parishes not worthy of them, and therefore will preach no where but at the Court, or in great & solemne assemblies: nor like those, who in their parish, will be acquainted with none, conuerse with none, conferre with none, visit none, but the rich and mighty; but as for the poore, they may liue and die as they can, for them. Such men might remember the blessed apostle, who kept back nothing, but taught (not in Courts and Palaces, and great houses only, but) through eueryevery house bAct. 20. 20. vers. 31. vers. 26., and that he ceased not to warn eueryevery one, and stood vponupon it boldly, that he was cleere from the blood of all men (see: not some, but all): and in another place expounding himself saith, his continuall course is to witnesse Gods will both to small and great cAct. 26. 22.. He that lookes for Pauls reward, at Gods hand, must thus behaue himselfe to Gods people, remembring his account is not for trifles, but for soules, and to that God who hath told vsus afore hand, EueryEvery soule is minedEzek. 18. 4.
The good father of the family must learne here, not himselfe, & his wife onelyonly, but to see that his children, & seruants & those not some of the chief, but all, euen the meanest may knowe and serue God. Such a man was Abraham, he was not carefull for Isaac alone, his deere sonne, the sonne of the beloued: but oh (sayth he to God) that euen Ishmael might liue in thy sight eGen 17. 18.: & therefore God becomes Abrahams surety, he giues his word for him; I know Abraham that he will (not looke to some of his principall officers, but) command (not this son or that daughter, but) his sons & his family to keep the way of the Lord aGen. 18. 19: & yet in Abrahams house were 318. persons borne & brought vp, &c. bGen. 14. 14. More shame for the great men of this age, both in City and country (who though they bee great, and daily plot to be greater, yet keepe they not so great houses and families as Abraham did): in whose families, many of their inferiour officers, and seruants, doe scarce euer come to Church: And much more shame to some parents, who being blessed of God with many children do partially respect some of them, and seeke their good of soule and body, & neglect others, who it may bee are more worthy: what would they do if they were profane and vndutifull Ishmaels, whē they are so vnmindfull, and respectlesse euen of such as be holy, and dutifull Isaacs? but let such children comfort themselues in this, that God their better father and best friend is no respecter of persons. These are the ordinary faults of fathers & mothers in these daies: but assuredly, those that be heires of Abrahams faith cGal. 3. 7., will distribute their louelove to eueryevery one, & care for the soule of their meanest seruāts, & take order in their families, that al their officers, eueryevery day (at lest in their course) may go to church, & their very kitchinboies, & hors-boyes, may learne to know the God of their saluation d1. Chr. 28. 9.; that so he may be able to say with a good cōscience, I found my family a cōfused Babel of disorder & profanenes, but I hauehave heartily endeuored to make it a little Church: & tho my family be great, yet there is not one whom I would not hauehave healed.
Thus they would hauehave healed all: but where began they? whom did they desire to win first & principally? certainly the greatest: as namely the K. & Coūsellers of State. This course tooke Daniel, in whom (more then in any one) this prophecy was fulfilled: who after he had done the busines for which the king sent for him, thē fell he to the busines of God, wherof is spoken in this Text, namely to see if hee could heale the king: ô King (saith he) thou art a king; but there is a higher; know, know, that the heauens beare rule. Wherefore ô King, let my counsell be acceptable vntounto thee, breake off thy sinnes by repentance, &c. Lo, let there be a healing of thine error aDan. 4. 24.. Well knew Daniel, that if once the King would abandon his Idolatrie, and imbrace the truth, easily would the people be induced to follow him: So, whereeuer is true reformation either of errors in doctrine, or corruption in manners, it must begin at the highest; els it will be to little purpose. To little effect, were it in the naturall body, to heale the hand & foot, when the head is deadly sick; but heale the head first, and then more easily the body will bee cured: So in the spirituall body, how should Babel be healed, when the King will not? how should they become Christian, when the king persists a heathen? euen so in our State, how shal popery be extinguisht? how shall vaine swearing, wantonness, profaning of the Sabboth, bribery, and other the sins of this age be reformed in the body of the people, if they be suffred to harbor in the Court, and to creepe into the Kings priuy Chamber? Priuate persons will hardly bee brought to detest those sinnes, that are the common practices & recreations of great persons. Therefore we hauehave cause to blesse God for giuing vsus such a King, as hath care of religion, and who in his owne person, is an enemie to poperie, a detester of wantonnesse, and iniustice, and many vile sinnes too commonly found in persons of his place. And let vsus not cease to pray, that God would confirme him in all goodnesse, and that he may still go on with Dauid to reforme the sinnes of the greatest, and them that are neerest him: for when a King saith, No wicked person shall serue me, nor abide in my sight; then all wicked workers will easily be destroyed out of the land xPsa. III. see the whole psalme.. If this had beene in Babel, she had beene cured: but the want of this was the cause of that that followeth:
But she could not be healed.
The 2. point.HItherto wee hauehave spoken of the first generall point; namely, the louing and holy care of Israel, They would hauehave cured Babell: Now followes the second, that is, the ill issue of their good labours, caused by the obstinate malice of the Babylonians, She would not be healed; some read, she could not be healed, some she is not healed, all to one end; for he that will not be healed, is not, nay cannot be healed: for God heales no man, conuerts no man, saues no man… against his will: therefore, he that will not bee healed, cannot be healed; and so Babel is incurable because she contemned the meane, and would not be healed. The godly Israelites did all they could: but the Babylonians had their answere, (as ready as now hauehave the papists; Think you, you (seely Israelites) that you are able to teach Babylon a better religion then it hath?*The very same defence is daily made for popery, that Babel made for her Idolatry: and the same exceptions make they against vsus, and the same arguments bring they against our religion, which they did against Israel: as is plaine to see in Y• books of Harding, Stapleton, Sanders, Allen &c. and of late in Persons, Kellison, Fitzherbert, and the rest. Is not hers of so many, and so many yeares continuance? was it not the religion our forefathers liued and dyed in? and is it not generall and vniuersall ouer the world, and yours but in a corner? and is not ours visible? and doth it not prosper and flourish? and is not yours condemned by the consent of all the world? and you for holding it, iustly ouerthrowen and conquered by vsus? is not your visible Temple now defaced? your publicke daily sacrifice ceased, and your succession cut off? and if you hauehave any thing left, is it not inuisible, & in secret corners? & what can you alleage for your religion? That you hauehave many learned men. Alasse poore men! for one learned Rabbine that you hauehave, hauehave not wee twenty? are not the Chaldeans the famoust learned men of the world, renowned for their high wisedom, their skill in Astrology, interpretation of dreames, and other the most secret and supernaturall Sciences? and do you thinke it possible that so many learned Doctors can be deceiued, nay all the world bee in an errour, and onelyonly you that hold a particular faction, and a singular new found religion, by your selues, should hauehave the truth amongst you? Go, go, poore soules, and sing your Hebrue songs by your selues: but meddle not with the high mysteries of the Chaldeans religion. And what will you hauehave more? Shew if you can one nation, of your religion, but your selues: but all the world is of ours. You will say you hauehave a succession from Noah, and hauehave not we so too? you came from Shem: and came not we also from him, or at least from some other of Noahs sonnes? You are but one poore branch of Shems roote: there be many others lineally descended from him, greater nations then you are; and doe any of them follow your faction? Looke into the world at this day, and see if any Nation of all that came from all the sonnes of Noah be of your religion: all that came of Cham are of ours, all that came of Iaphet are of ours, and all that came of Shem, but only your selues. See then what fooles you are to striue against so strong a streame, and to forsake the auntient and knowne high-way, so long, and so wel trodden, and to take and choose a singular by waie of your owne. For, did not all Nations walke in our waie? and was there any one Nation of your Religion, till one MOYSES, and after him one SAMVEL, and DAVID, and a fewe others (to make themselues great, and to bring to passe ther owne purposes) made a publicke reuolte from the Religion of all other Nations, and set you vp first a Tabernacle, and then a Temple of your owne? Therefore you are to bee deemed and condemned for Schismatickes, who hauehave cut your selues off from the auntient and vniuersall Religion of the World. And what though you can pleade continuance of some hundreths of yeares, yet what is that to our time? for when you can scarce shewe three poore housholdes in all the earth of your Religion, (as namelie, in the daies of ABRAHAM and long both before and after) then can we prooue that all the Kingdomes and Nations of the whole earth were of ours.
Neuer brag that Abraham was of your religion, and therefore you are antient: for his Father and his Grand-father were ours, and therfore we are elder. Againe, during all the time you hauehave had your Kings and Priests, shewe one nation by you conuerted, or one that came and ioyned with you, of all that time: and tho God suffered you for a time, yet see how at the last he hath brought you downe; and as you forsooke vsus and the ancient religion, which we will keepe and maintaine; so he hath now giuen vsus power ouer you, to conquer your kingdome and deface your religion, as it hath deserued: therefore neuer labour to bring vsus to your noueltie and new fangled religion; but rather come home to vsus and to the auntient religion of our forefathers: neuer endeuour to seduce vsus into your secret and schismaticall, and inuisible Church; but rather come you into the light and sun-shine of our glorious, vniuersall, and catholike Church: neuer speake of healing vsus: heale your selues seely fooles, for you hauehave neede; as for vsus, we are well, we are farre better then Israel can make vsus.
Thus did Babell cast away the good counsell that the Israelites gaue them, and pleased themselues in the like carnall arguments, & fleshly conceits, as Papists in their poperie, and other profane men in their carnalitie, do at this day; setting these and many more faire glosses on their religion, and thinke themselues in farre better case then the Israelites: & yet when God comes to giuegive the verdite, they are sick; and which is worse, are past healing. Here we may learne
1 First the pittifull estate of wicked men, They are wounded; nay, they will be wounded, but will not be healed; they will wound themselues; but neither can heale themselues, not will let others heale thē: are not they worthy to perish? they are in the fire, & neither will come out, nor let others pull them out; are they not worthy to burne? being in prison, the doore set open to them, and they will not stir to come out; are they not worthy to bee slaues for euer? they are deadly sick: the Physition comes to them that is able to heale them, and they will not heare them: are they not worthy to die? O deafe adders, that stop their eares against the voice of the best and wisest charmers! and yet these men are the mockers, and scorners of them that be godly, and the discouragers of many a man in the waies of God Some seeing their worldly prosperity, stand amazed, and enuy their estate: but alas, why should any man do so? for if their estate be rightly considered, they deserue rather to be pittied, then either enuied, or any way regarded.
Further, heere we may see how it fares with Gods children in this world; oft times they must lose their labour, when they hauehave sincerely, and zealously endeuoured the conuersion of sinners. Israel would hauehave heale Babel: but when all is done, she will not be healed. So saith Salomon, Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee yProu. 9. 8. No maruell, if this be so with priuate men, when the Ministers and Prophets of the Lord, find oftentimes so little profit of their great labours, that they cry out; I hauehave laboured in vaine, and spent my strength in vaine zEsay. 49. 4. And Ministers may not thinke much hereat: for the Prophet makes that cō plaint, not in his owne person onelyonly, and his fellow Prophets, but euen in the person of Christ himselfe, whose labour was much of it lost in this respect. For it is apparant in the Gospell how little hee preuailed with many of his owne nation, yea with the learned Rabbines the Scribes and PharisiesaLu…e. 7. 30.: And after all the excellent sermons made all the time before, went not Iudas away fuller of Sathan then hee camebIoh. 13. 27? And to conclude, did not God himselfe preach from heauen, a notable sermon to Cain? and was hee not worse for it? & being hellishly inraged, instantly after the Sermon ran out and slewe his brothercGan. 4. 7.? Thus howsoeuer Gods word neuer returns in vaine, but prospers in the work whereabout the Lord dooth send it dEsay. 55. 11: Yet, it is here apparant, that it is not alwaies the sauour of life to life, but often of death to death, in whose mouth soeuer it is spoken.
Wee must heare learne, not to bee discouraged in our courses of seeking mens conuersions; Priuate men to practice the dueties of admonition, exhortation, &c. vntounto their neighbours that bee out of the way: Nor Ministers, to preach the word, with all diligence. For howsoeuer thy labor may be lost to som; yet know, thy labour is neuer lost before God: for be it the sauour of life, or of death, it is a sweet sauour to God, (sayth the Apostlee2. Cor. 2. 14 15. 16.: and tho in regarde of men that wil not be cured, thou hast laboured in vain, and spent thy strength in vaine; yet, saith the Prophet, My iudgement is with the Lord, and my work with my God fEsa. 49. 4.. And let not the good man of God be too much cast downe, tho he see little fruit of his great labours; remembring that IESVS CHRIST and God himselfe hauehave lost their labour vponupon many men: and heere the Church hath many yeares endeuoured to cure Babel, and all is in vaine. For, she will not be healed: And will shee not, what then remaines but this that followeth?
Let vsus forsake her, &c.
The 3. point.FOr, after all meanes vsed and all in vain, then what should we do but forsake them that needs will bee forsaken of God, and hauehave nothing to do with them, who will hauehave no fellowship with the Lord? This is the third generall point, and touching it there bee three particulars
| examinable, namely, | 1. how | Babel is to be forsaken. |
| 2 why | ||
| 3. whē |
For the first, how is Babel to be forsaken when there is no more hope of curing her? the answere is, not in louelove and affectionate desire to do her good: but still the wicked man is to be pittied, still to be loued, still to be mourned for, still must the godly man wish wel to him, tho he care not for it, but scoffe at all. Thus when the Prophet had called vppon the people,gIer. 13. 16. 17 Heare and giuegive eare, be not proud, but yeelde & turne and repent, and giuegive glory to God before he send darkenesse, &c. He then addeth: But if you will not heare and obay, my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride, and mine eyes shall drop downe teares, &c. Thus the good man sends vp many a sigh, and sheads many a teare for the wicked, that neuer giuegive one groane for themselues.
Nor must we forsake them in prayer; but though they seeme to vsus neuer so incurable, wee must still praie vvithout ceasing to GOD for them: for that that is impossible to vsus, is possible inough with the Lord (h) God forbid (sayth Samuel) that I should cease to pray for you i1. Sam. 12.: and so must we say of all, euen the greatest sinners; saue onelyonly them that sinne against the holy Ghost (which no priuate man, but onelyonly the whole Church can discerne and iudge of) God forbid that I should cease to pray for them.
Neither must we forsake them by a finall separation, neuer to come at them, nor to assist them any more: but still we must be willing to go againe, and do our endeuour, if euer there be hope that they will be healed. Forgiue (saith Christ) not seuen onelyonly, but 70. times 7. times. When a sicke man is froward and impatient, then the good Physition must be the patient: & tho he hauehave come oft, & to no purpose, yet if at last he will be healed, he must not forsake him; so must Gods children reioice, if after neuer so many repulses, the wicked will be content at the last to heare and to be healed. Thus wee must still louelove and pittie them, still pray for them, and still be ready to do them good: and in these three respects we must not forsake them.
But wee must forsake Babel. First in regard of conuersation: we must separate our selues from the wicked mans company and societie, as far as lawfully & conueniently we may, after we see him obstinate and incurable: it is Gods commandement, Flee from the midst of Babel: depart out of the land of the Chaldeans kIerem. 50. 8.: and do not this slackly and slowly (like Lots wifelGen. 19. 26 but be as the hee Gootes before the flock.
Secondly, in regard of the meanes: for after that by her often and obstinate refusall, (ioyned with spightfull contempt both of the meane… and the men that brings them) she hath shewed her selfe to be a filthy swine, then pearles are no longer to bee cast before her, holy things must no more bee giuen to such Dogges; but they are to bee left to their vomit and mire, till God shew either his merciemercy, or iustice vponupon them, either in their conuersion or confusion.
Thus must she be forsaken: and the reason why (which is the second point) is double.
First, in regarde of our selues: wee must forsake the wicked when they are incurable, lest in steede of dooing good to them, wee take hurt our selues, by beeing polluted by her contagion, or made partakers of her sinnes; and consequently, of her punishment. God giueth this reason himselfe: Flee out of the middest of Babel, and deliuer euerie man his soule, be not destroyed in her iniquitie mIerem. 51. 6. Therfore after that a christian man perceiues there is more dā ger to get hurt from them, then hope to do good to them, he is bound no longer to stay; nay, he is bound to leaue them & looke to the safety of his owne soule and body.
Secondly, in regard of the meanes vsed to heale them: which because they be the holy ordinances of God, & pretious pearles; therefore are they not to be exposed to the contempt of wicked men, not to bee troden vnderunder the foule feete of their peruerse and scornefull spirits: Both these reasons doth Christ cople together. GiueGive not that (saith he) that is holy to dogs, neither cast your pearles before swine; least they treade them vnderunder their feete, and turning againe all to rent you nMat. 7. 6. Christ would neither hauehave his ordinances abused, nor his children hurt by the wicked men.
Thus we see the maner how, and the reasons why: Now let vsus see the time when Babel must be forsaken; when she is incurable, but not til then: first, long time is to be spent, all meanes to be vsed, all waies to be tried, all patience to be practiced, & all wisedome to be exercised, all occasions to bee taken, that probably may preuaile to doe them good. But if after all this, they be incurable, and out of hope; then must we forsake them… but not till then, not till there bee no hope at all: he that forsakes Babel till then, is wanting in his duetie, and hath much to answere for before God. For if the Physician may not forsake this vile body oPhil. 3. 21.as lōg as there is any hope of life; then how may any man forsake the soule that is pretious, & that cost so pretious bloud p1. Pet. 1. 19? Surely, the spirituall Physician must neuer forsake a Church, a people, or a man, as long as there is any hope of curing and conuerting him.
Heere is condemned the practise of two sorts of men amongst vsus. First, such as be now tearmed of the separation, formerly & vsually called Brownists; who forsake our Church, and cut off themselues from our congregations, and separate themselues to a faction, and fashion, or as they call it, into a co…enant & communion of their owne deuising; these men hauehave made a grieuous rent, and giuen a deepe wound into the peace of our Church: they vse this place and others like against vsus, & say; Wee would hauehave healed you, but you will not bee healed, therefore we forsake you: but they abuse the place; therefore, I will turne the point of this their weapon against themselues: I meane against their errors, and this their bitter and schismaticall separation. To this end I would aske these men but 4. questions: whereunto if they can giuegive me satisfaction, I will be one of them.
First therefore, whereas you say that Wee are wounded incurably, and will not be healed, I aske; Wherein are wee deadly or incurably wounded? what fundamentall wound is in our doctrine? what deadly corruption is in our discipline, such as eats out the heart, and life, & being of a Church? what booke of Canonicall scripture receiue we not? what holde we for Canonicall, that is not? what sacrament that Christ ordained do we want? and what hauehave we more then Christ ordained? what article of faith deny wee? or what holde we for an article of faith that is not? what fundamentall heresie doth our doctrine maintaine? what hauehave we in our Church, that ouerthrowes the beeing of a Church? what is necessarily required to make a Church, that we do want? Do not say, These be many questions: for if you will hauehave thē all in one generall, I will end it as I began; Wherein are wee deadly & incurably wounded? if I should walk a while on your owne grounds, & grant you that which you can neuer proue; yet wil it not follow that we are incurably, or deadly, wounded. A man may want a finger, or hauehave some blemishes in his face, and yet be a strong and perfect man, sound, and heart-whole, and able to ouerthrow his enemies: so, tho there were in our Church, those wounds you speake of, yet do they not come neere the heart, they be not deadly, they may blemish the beautie, but indanger not the life of our Church. The Churches of Corinth and Galatia, had other kind of blemishes then ours hath; (blessed be God.) Corinth doubted or erred in the great article of the Resurrection. 1. Cor. 15. The Galathians erred fouly in the high and maine point of Iustification; and yet Corinth a Church of God sanctified in Christ Iesus. 1. Corinth. …. 2. And Galatia, though almost remoued to another Gospell, Galathians. 1. 6. yet not withstanding a Church for all that. Galat. 1. 2. And if you will adde to these fundamentall errours in doctrine, corruptions in manners, and disorders in Gods seruice, you can with no shewe of truth lay such to the charge of our Church, as is apparant were rise in the Church of Corinth: and then shall Corinth bee a Church, and not England? Let the Lord bee Iudge betwixt you and vsus. Therefore, if wee should grant vntounto you that our Church were blemished or wounded; yet not beeing deadly wounded, your separation from vsus is schismaticall and vniust: and more hardly deale you with our Church, then did Gods Church euen with Babell; who forsooke her not till she was deadly wounded, and past life. To conclude, if Israel might not forsake Babel till then; then what are you that dare forsake a Church of God, wherein yee hauehave found God, if euer ye found him yet; and wherin the diuell himselfe cannot shew one deadly wound: Blessed be the Lord that hath so healed vsus.
Secondly, seeing they say that we are wounded, but as for thēselues they be healed, & therefore they must separate, and so keep the sound from the sicke; I aske them this question: Are they healed? then where were they healed? where were they called? where were they regenerat & begotten to Christ? was it not in the wombe of this our Church, & by meanes of the immortall seede of Gods word, that is daily sowen in our Church, and by the ministry of those men that were called by our Church, and yet cleaue to our Church, & mourn for their separatiō; & by the deaw of that blessing frō aboue, which is dayly poured vppon our assemblies, from Gods merciful right hand? Then how can they deny that to bee a true Church, a holy Church, a Church of God, wherein ordinarily men are called, and brought to God? And how vnthankfull and vndutifull are they to their spirituall mother, to forsake her, and cast the dust of contempt in her face, that bore them in her womb, and brought them forth the sons of God? To auoid this, what can they say, but one of these two things: either that there is indeed a true ministery of the word amongst vsus; but it is not powerfull to any but thēselues: that we hauehave the word truly preached, and so as it may conuert a man; but it is not the sauour of life to anie, but such as come into their couenant: (but from this horrible, and hellish pride, good Lord deliuer them; or els let them bee assured, such a height of pride, is sure to hauehave a feareful fall.) Or if not this, then must they say that they were not called, in our Church, but since they left vsus: But they hauehave bard themselues already from that plea. For, it beeing obiected to them that they hauehave left our Church, not out of conscience, but out of carnall discontents, and vponupon fleshly reasons, and worldly grounds; they all stoutly answer and stifly stand to it, that they do it not vpō any such groūds, not for any reasons of flesh & bloud; but meerly and only out of conscience, and for their saluation; and that gladly they would hauehave staied, but with a good conscience they could not. If this be true, then they had conscience before they left vsus: then where came they to that conscience and care of their saluation, but in our Church? Now, a good conscience cannot bee seuered from regeneration and an effectuall calling: therefore, they cannot deny, but they were regenerate, and called in our Church; vnless they wil say, they had no conscience when they forsooke vsus: which if they doe, then I will yeeld that my question is answered.
If they grant they were called afore they went, and that stil they who fall from vsus to them, are called; then how can that be but a true Church, wherin by their own confessiō, men are ordinarily begottē to God? & how can that be but a lawful & holy ministery, which brings men to saluation? therefore, (vponupon their own grounds) they hauehave no iust cause to leaue vsus. For that Church and Ministry that brings a man to grace, and to faith, is able to bring him to glory & saluation: and that which is able effectually to begin, is able effectually to finish the good work of God in any man.
Thirdly, if they be healed, and we still deadly woū ded, then I ask them: How hauehave they sought, and sufficiently endeuoured our healing? and till they hauehave done al that possibly can be done for our healing, how dare they forsake vsus? For if the Israelites might not forsake Babel til then; shall they forsake vsus, afore they hauehave put all meanes to the farthest? if they be healed already, why doe they not more seriously labour the healing of others? They cannot but knowe, there be many in our Church curable inough, if they coulde shew them to need their healing: why then doe not they stay amongst vsus, to heale and helpe vsus? He is no good Physician, that flies and forsakes his Patient: they therefore if they be healers, and would heale vsus as they pretend, why do they not stay with vsus, & shew vsus our wounds, and apply the meanes to heale vsus? But contrariwise, they forsake vsus, and runne into corners and raile on vsus, and call vsus Babylon, Antichristian, and the synagogue of the wicked, & that we are no church, and Christ is not amongst vsus. Are these the plaisters with which you wil heale vsus? is this the way to heale, to make wounds wider and deeper then indeede they be? Hee is a pittifull Physician, that makes his Patient worse then he findes him: but he is not tolerable, that makes him worse then indeed he is, or wil make him belieue he is heart sicke and deadly, when his finger aketh. They alledge persecution, and that therefore they cannot stay with vsus but are constrained to leaue vsus: but assuredly (were it true that they say, that wee were deadly wounded, and they able to heale vsus) then, seeing they cannot say that all amongst vsus are incurable, they would care for no danger that could befall their bodies, so that they might heale our soules and gaine them to God. Therfore I conclude, that if we would grant them their owne grounds, that they are as good as they pretend to be, and wee as ill as they would make vsus; yet notwithstanding, their separation is vnchristian: because its certaine none of them can hauehave assured testimony to his conscience, that he hath done al he can possibly for our healing: til which time no man may forsake another; especially no christian forsake another: and least of all a priuate man forsake a Church.
Fourthly, and lastly, if they will needes leaue our Church, whither will they goe? To leaue one thing, for another no better, is seely; but for a worse, is folly and madnes. But they will say, they leaue vsus to take the better: then shew me a better religion, and a better Church then the Protestant Churches of Europe are, and the religion amongst them. You will not go to the Lutheranes, for they (you say) are worse then we: much lesse to the Papists, for they apparantly are worst of all: whither then? wil you go to the Church of the Lowe-countries? but they are of our confession, wil you go to the Churches of France? but they are of our confession. will you goe to the Church of Geneua, or the free Cities of the Empire? but they are of our religion. will you goe to the Church of Scotland, to the Cantons of Switzerland, to the States, & Princes of Germany? but they are all of our confession, and so professe themselues to beeqSee the harmony of confessions.. Looke ouer all Christendom, and you shall not finde a Church that condemneth ours, nor any that is not of our religion, nor any one but that professeth it self to be of the same confession with vsus, and not to differ from vsus in any substantiall or fundamentall point. Whither then will you go? or what remaines for you to goe vntounto, but vntounto your corners & conuenticles, where you are your owne caruers, your owne Iudges, your owne approuers, but hauehave not one Church in Christendome, to approue you.
So that then it remains, it must either be graunted you, that you are better then all others, and that (notwithstanding the Gospell preached thus long, since the reuealing of Anti-christ) there is not one true Church in the world but your selues: or els you must grant that ther is no better Church for you to go vntounto, if you forsake vsus. Therefore play the wise mens part; forsake not our church til you can shew a better. And tel vsus not of France, Scotland, Geneua, Zurick, Basil, &c. for they be all ours, and not yours: they wil & do all approue vsus as a glorious Church, and condemn you, as factious, and sohismatical. And seeing you can finde none better (all things considered) & hauehave none to fly to but your selues (who are the parties now in question, & therfore no fit Iudges of the matter) looke well about you; and if vnaduized zeale hauehave caused this bitter separation, then by your returne make vp that breach againe, which by your reuolt you made in our Church: Returne againe into the bosome of the Church, aske pardon of that your Mother, who brought you forth children of light: Come, & ioyne with vsus against the Papist, the common enemy; who, by our diuision hath gotten ground vponupon vsus all.
Remember Peters answere, when Christ asked the Apostles, after so many fell from him, what (saith hee) Will you also goe awaie? Alas Master, sayth Peter, Whither shall wee goe? thou hast the words of eternall life rIohn, 6. 61. So will you say, if true humility and sauing grace possess you, when your deere mother in whose wombe you were conceiued, and with whose brests you hauehave bin fed, shall ask you (after so many reuolters to popery) what, Will you also goe away? Alas! whither should we goe from thee? thou hast the words, and thou hast the Sacraments, of eternall life. Yea, malice it selfe cannot denie but wee hauehave them; and he who gaue them vsus, grant we may long enioy them Amen.
And as for you, my brethren (Brethren I call you, because I am sure we had both one mother) look well about you, and consider of the bitter effectes like to follow, vponupon this your separation: remember that they will all lie heauy vponupon you. And do not say, you are driuen out: for if it be the Church, & if the words of eternal life be here, nothing in the world ought to driue you from it. Nay, your separation was wilfull: therefore, let your return be voluntarie: and til then, esteem as basely and censure as sharpely of vsus as you list; but knowe, that for this diuision of Ruben, are great thoughts of heart sIudg. 5. 15..
The second sort of men, whose practice is reprooued by this doctrine, be such, as refuse publicke places in the Church, and common-wealth, and retire themselues into priuate and discontented courses, and will not bee employed for the publicke; because they pretend the dayes are euil, and many sores in our body incurable, vnlesse there be other order taken for their healing. To these men I would say but two words.
1. Are the dayes euill? the more need hauehave they to be amended by each ones helping hand. And if wee have any wounds in Church or state, more cause hath each one that loues the peace & health of Ierusalem, to indeuour the present healing therof, least they fester and growe worse.
But secondly, are the times euil? Nay, are they not made euill by thee? at least, are they not the worse for thee and thy sinnes? Who can shew his face and say; I hauehave committed no sins, that may be in part a cause to bring downe the spirituall and corporall plagues that are amongst vsus? Then what are they that are so busie to complaine of the times, and so slacke to complain of their sins? But it is a trick of hypocrisie, to be so eagle eied in prying into the illnesse of the times, & so blind and dull in considering his owne sinnes, the cause of all that ill. Thou, contrariwise, out of a holy and humbled heart confess, that seeing thy sins hauehave made the times worse then els they would hauehave been, therefore thou hast cause to endeuour for thy part to make them better. Then set thy shoulder to the burthen, and put thy neck to the yoke, remembring that euen Babel it selfe is not to be forsaken, till it be altogether incurable, & past al hope: But being incurable (as here the text saith) shee is; therfore, saith the church, Let vsus forsake her.
And now Babell beeing forsaken of the Church, what remains to be expected? nothing but vēgeance and destruction.
For her iudgement is come vp vntounto heauen, &c.
The 4. point.IN these words is laid down the last point; namely, what becomes of Babel, when being incurable she is forsakē by the Church: she is made ready for iudgement and destruction. Here we may learne (amongst many others) two most worthy doctrines.
First, what the wicked get by persecuting, and banishing, and seeking to root out Gods children: surely, euen nothing but the hastening of their owne destructiō. The Babylonians cared not for the Israelites company: but as soone as they were gone destruction came vponupon Babel. Whilst they stay, the wicked are spared: but when they are gone, vengeance breakes out. Whilst Lot was in Sodom it perished not: Nay, (sayth the Angell to him) Haste thee away, for I can do nothing til thou be safe from amongst themuGen. 19. 22.. See, God the good King is more carefull to saue one of his owne seruants, then to destroy a thousand enemies: but see their madnesse, they mocked and flowted this Lot, scorned him as a stranger, and many wayes grieued his righteous soule, were weary of him, and his company, and tryed eueryevery waie, to make him weary of the Towne; for they held it worse, as long as hee was in it: at last they hauehave their wills, and he forsakes them; but with him their protection is gone, & now fire, and brimstone, falls from heauen on them. So, at this day doe the wicked and worldly men: whom hate they, whom accuse they, whom abuse they, whō lie they in waite for, whome persecute they, whome would they destroie, whom banish they, whome are they weary of, but of the godly men? When they dy, they bid them be gone, and wish that all were gone after them; not knowing (poore fooles) that if these men stood not in the gap, the fire of Gods wrath had long since broken out vponupon them; and when they are gone, then they are wel apayed, and are glad: But alas! what hauehave they gained? euen as much as Sodom did when they had cast out Lot.
Secondly, we may heere learne, what a fearful and daungerous thing it is not to bee healed by spirituall Physicke (that is) not to profit by the word of God, nor to be conuerted from sin, when God giues means… For, what is this but an euident testimonie of Gods heauie wrath, and a certaine forerunner of damnation? Will not Babylon be healed? then what followes but destruction? So in the new Testament, If our Gospell be hid, (saith Paul, it is hid to them that perish w1. Cor. 4. 3. For as if at noon day any man say the sun shines not, it is because he is blinde and cannot see: So, if in the sun-shine of the Gospell, some see it not, but in the midst of that light liue in darknesse, its certaine they are blinded by Sathan, & if they continue so are marked vp for iust damnation. A fearful example we hauehave hereof in the sonnes of Eli, of whom the Text saith, their Father hearing of all the euil they did, called thē and reproued them, and gaue them good & ghostly counsell, able (a man would hauehave thought) to hauehave turned their hearts; especially comming from a Father, and from him that was the Iudge and Prophet of the Church: But all in vaine; for, notwithstanding, they obayed not the voice of their father: 1. Sam. 2. 25.and mark the reason; because the Lord would s…ay them. Wherby its apparant, there is not (ordinarily) a surer signe of a reprobate, then not to obey the voice & word of God, nor to profit by those meanes that God giues a man for his conuersion.
A matter of speciall vse to our Church, which hath so long enioyed the Gospell: but to you of this Citie especially, who hauehave long and liberally beene fed from heauen, with abundance & variety of spiritual food. Therfore, eueryevery one looke to thy selfe how thou profitest by these good means. For be assured, if any congregation or particular man hauehave vse of the meanes and profiteth not, but runneth on hardned in his sinnes; it is because hee is a vessel of Gods wrath, and prepared for damnation: but contrariwise, hee that heareth and yeeldeth, and obeieth, and repenteth, it is an vndoubted pledge to him of his saluation, layed vp in heauen assuredly for him. Therefore, let eueryevery one take heed: for otherwise his lot will be like Babylons; of whom we here finde, that because all meanes vsed to conuert her were in vaine, therfore she is now iustly destroyed, and remaines a monument of misery, and a spectacle of Gods iustice, to all posteritiesxRead, for this end, the 50. and 51. Chapt. of Ieremie, and other places of the Prophets..
Thus concerning the literall Babylon wee hauehave heard, 1. How Israel would hauehave cured her. 2. How she will not be healed. 3. How therefore she is forsaken of the Church. And 4. How beeing past cure, she is therefore destroyed.
And hauing thus performed the first part of my taske, namely touching the old and literall Babel: it now remaines that we come to the Mysticall Babylon; in and concerning whom, all these 4. are as true as in the former.