Five Sermons 1, Sermon 2 – Prayer
ACTS. 1.8.
But yee ſhall receiue power after that the HOLY GHOST is come vponupon you, and yee ſhall bee witneſſes vntounto mee both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt part of the Earth.
THERE are reckoned in this Booke, Two and Twentie Sermons of the Apoſtles; and yet the Book is not called the Preaching, but the Practiſe, not the Words but the Acts of the Apoſtles: and the Acts of the Apoſtles were to conuey that name of Chriſt Ieſus, and to propagate his Goſpell ouer all the world: Beloued, you are Actors vponupon the ſame Stage too: the vttermoſt part of the Earth are your Scene: Act ouer the Acts of the Apoſtles; bee you a Light to the Gentiles, that ſit in darkeneſſe, bee you content to carrie him ouer theſe Seas, who dryed vp one Red Sea for his firſt people, and hath powred out another Red Sea, his owne Bloud, for them and vsus. When man was fallen, God cloathed him, made him a Leather Garment, there God deſcended to one occupation: when the time of mans redemption was come, then God, as it were, to houſe him, became a Carpenters Sonne, there God deſcended to another Occupation. Naturally, without doubt, man would hauehave beene his owne Taylor, and his owne Carpenter; ſomething in theſe two kindes man would hauehave done of himſelfe, though hee had had no patterne from God: but in preſeruing man who was fallen, to this redemption, by which he was to be raiſd, in preſeruing man from periſhing, in the Flood, God deſcended to a third occupation, to be his Shipwright to giuegive him the modell of a Ship, an Arke, and ſo to be the author of that, which man himſelfe in likelihood, would neuer hauehave thought of, a means to paſſe from Nation to Nation. Now, as GOD taught vsus to make cloathes, not onelyonly to cloath our ſelues, but to cloath him in his poore and naked members heere; as God taught vsus to build houſes, not to houſe our ſelues, but to houſe him, in erecting Churches, to his glory: So God taught vsus to make Ships, not to tranſport our ſelues, but to tranſport him, That when wee hauehave receiued power, after that the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon vsus, we might be witneſſes vntounto him, both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth.
As I ſpeake now principally to them who are concernd in this Plantation of Virginia, yet there may be diuers in this Congregation, who, though they hauehave no intereſt in this Plantation, yet they may hauehave benefit and edification, by that which they heare me ſay, ſo Chriſt ſpoke the words of this Text, principally to the Apoſtles, who were preſent and queſtioned him at his Aſcention, but they are in their iuſt extention, and due accomodation, appliable to our preſent occaſion of meeting heere: As Chriſt himſelfe is Alpha, and Omega, ſo firſt, as that hee is laſt too, ſo theſe wordes which he ſpoke in the Eaſt, belong to vsus, who are to glorifie him in the Weſt? That we hauing receiued power, after that the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon vsus, might be witneſſes vntounto him, both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth.
The firſt word of the Text is the Cardinall word, the word the hinge vponupon which the whole Text turnes; The firſt word, But, is the But, that all the reſt ſhoots at. Firſt it is an excluſiue word; ſomething the Apoſtles had required, which might not bee had; not that; And it is an incluſiue word; ſomthing Chriſt was pleaſd to affoord to the Apoſtles, which they thought not of; not that, not that which you beat vponupon, But, but yet, ſomething elſe, ſomething better then that, you ſhall hauehave. That which this but, excludes, is that which the Apoſtles expreſſe in the Verſe immediatly before the Text, a Temporall Kingdome; Wilt thou reſtore againe the kingdome of Iſrael? No; not a temporall Kingdome, let not the riches and commodities of this world, be in your contemplation in your aduentures. Or, becauſe they aske more, Wilt thou now reſtore that? not yet: If I will giuegive you riches, and commodities of this world, yet if I doe it not at firſt, if I doe it not yet, be not you diſcouraged; you ſhall not hauehave that, that is not Gods firſt intention, and though that be in Gods intention, to giuegive it you hereafter, you ſhall not hauehave it yet, thats the excluſiue part; But; there enters the incluſiue, You ſhall receiue power, after that the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon you, and you ſhall bee witneſſes vntounto mee, both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth. In which ſecond part, we ſhall paſſe by theſe ſteps; Superueniet Spiritus, The holy Ghoſt ſhall come vponupon you, The Spirit ſhall witneſſe to your Spirit, and rectifie your Conſcience; And then, by that, you ſhall receiue power; A new power beſides the power you hauehave from the State, and that power ſhall enable you, to be witneſſes of Chriſt, that is, to make his doctrine the more credible, by your teſtimony, when you conforme your ſelues to him, and doe as hee did; and this witneſſe you ſhall beare, this conformity you ſhall declare, firſt in Ieruſalem, in this Citie; And in Iudaea, in all the parts of the Kingdome; and in Samaria, euen amongſt them who are departed from the true worſhip of God, the Papiſts; and to the vttermoſt part of the Earth, to thoſe poore Soules, to whom you are continually ſending. Summarily, If from the Holy Ghoſt you hauehave a good teſtimony in your owne Conſcience, you ſhall be witneſſes for Chriſt, that is, as he did, you ſhall giuegive ſatisfaction to all, to the Citie, to the Countrey, to the Calumniating Aduerſary, and the naturals of the place, to whom you ſhall preſent both Spirituall and Temporall benefit to. And ſo you hauehave the Modell of the whole frame, and of the partitions; wee proceede now to the furniſhing of the particular roomes.
1. Part.
FIrſt then, this firſt word, But, excludes a temporall Kingdome; the Apoſtles had fild themſelues with an expectation, with an ambition of it; but that was not intended them. It was no wonder, that a woman could conceiue ſuch an expectation, and ſuch an ambition, as to hauehave her two ſonnes ſit at Chriſts right hand,Mat. 20.20. and at his left, in his Kingdome, when the Apoſtles expected ſuch a Kingdome, as might affoord them honours and preferment vponupon Earth. More then once they were in the diſputation, in which Chriſt deprehended them, which of them ſhould bee the greateſt in his Kingdome. Mat. 1.81.Neither hath the Biſhop of Rome, any thing, wherein he may ſo properly call himſelfe Apoſtolicall, as this error of the Apoſtles, this theire infirmitie; that he is euermore too conuerſant vpō the contemplation of temporall Kingdomes. They did it all the way, when Chriſt was with them, and now at his laſt ſtep, Cum actu aſcendiſſet, when Chriſt was not Aſending, but in part aſcended, when one foot was vponupon the Earth, and the other in the cloud that tooke him vp, they aske him now, wilt thou at this time, reſtore the Kingdome? ſo women put their husbands, and men their fathers, and friends, vponupon their torture, at their laſt gaſpe, and make their death bed a racke to make them ſtrech and encreaſe ioyntures, and portions, and legacies, and ſigne Scedules and Codicils, with their hand, when his hand that preſents them is ready to cloſe his eyes, that ſhould ſigne them: And when they are vponupon the wing for heauen, men tye lead to their feet, and when they are laying hand faſt vponupon Abrahams boſome, they muſt pull their hand out of his boſome againe, to obey importunities of men, and ſigne their papers: ſo vnderminable is the louelove of this World, which determines eueryevery minute. GOD, as hee is three perſons, hath three Kingdomes; There is Regnum potentiae, The Kingdome of power; and this wee attribute to the Father; it is power and prouidence: There is Regnum gloriae, the Kingdome of glorie; this we attribute to the Sonn and to his purchaſe; for he is the King that ſhall ſay,Mat. 25.34. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you, from the foundation of the World. And then betweene theſe three is Regnum Gratiae, The Kingdome of Grace, and this we attribute to the Holy Ghoſt; he takes them, whom the king of power, Almighty God hath reſcued from the Gentiles, Mat. 4.11.and as the king of grace, Hee giues them the knowledge of the miſterie of the Kingdome of GOD, that is, of future glory, by ſanctifying thē with his grace, in his Church. The two firſt kingdomes are in this world, but yet neither of them, are of this world; becauſe both they referre to the kingdome of glory. The kingdome of the Father, which is the prouidence of God, does but preſerue vsus, The kingdome of the Holy Ghoſt which is the grace of God, does but prepare vsus to the kingdome of the Sonne, which is the glory of GOD; and thats in heauen. And therfore, though to good men, this world be the way to that kingdome, yet this kingdome is not of this world, ſayes Chiſt himſelfe: Though the Apoſtles themſelues,Iohn 18.36. as good a Schoole as they were bred in, could neuer take out that leſſon yet that leſſon Chriſt giues, and repeates to all, you ſeeke a Temporall kingdome, But, ſayes the Text, ſtop there, A kingdome you muſt not hauehave.
Beloued in him, whoſe kingdome, and Goſpell you ſeeke to aduance, in this Plantation, our Lord and Sauiour Christ Ieſus, if you ſeeke to eſtabliſh a temporall kingdome there, you are not rectified, if you ſeeke to bee kings in either acceptation of the word; To be a King ſignifies Libertie and indepency, and Supremacie, to bee vnderunder no man, and to be a King ſignifies Abundance, and Omniſufficiencie, to neede no man. If thoſe that gouerne there, would eſtabliſh ſuch a gouernment, as ſhould not depend vponupon this, or if thoſe that goe thither, propoſe to themſelues an exemption from Lawes, to liue at their libertie, this is to be Kings, to deueſt Allegeance, to bee vnderunder no man: and if thoſe that aduenture thither, propoſe to themſelues preſent benefit, and profit, a ſodaine way to bee rich, and an aboundance of all deſirable commodities from thence, this is to be ſufficient of themſelues, and to neede no man: and to bee vnderunder no man and to neede no man, are the two acceptations of being Kings. Whom liberty drawes to goe, or preſent profit drawes to aduenture, are not yet in the right way. O, if you could once bring a Catechiſme to bee as good ware amongſt them as a Bugle, as a knife, as a hatchet: O, if you would bee as ready to hearken at the returne of a ſhip, how many Indians were conuerted to Chriſt Ieſus, as what trees, or druggs, or Dyes that Ship had brought, then you were in your right way, and not till then; Libertie and Abundance, are Characters of kingdomes, and a kingdome is excluded in the Text; The Apoſtles were not to looke for it, in their employment, nor you in this your Plantation.
At leaſt CHRIST expreſſes himſelfe thus farre, in this anſwer, that if he would giuegive them a kingdome,Non adhuc. hee would not giuegive it them yet. They aske him, Wilt thou at this time, reſtore the kingdome? and hee anſwers, It is not for you to know the times: whatſoeuer God will doe, Man muſt not appoint him his time. The Apoſtles thought of a kingdome preſently after Chriſts departure; the comming of the Holy Ghoſt, who lead them into all truthes, ſoone deliuered them of that error. Other men in fauour of the Iewes, interpreting all the propheſies, which are of a Spirituall Kingdome, the kingdome of the Goſpell, into which, the Iewes ſhall be admitted) in a literall ſenſe, hauehave thought that the Iewes ſhall hauehave, not onelyonly a temporall kingdome in the ſame place, in Ieruſalem againe, but becauſe they finde that kingdome which is promiſed, (that is the kingdome of the Goſpell) to bee expreſſed in large phraſes, and in an abundant manner, applying all that largeneſſe to a temporall kingdome, they thinke, that the Iewes ſhall hauehave ſuch a kingdome, as ſhall ſwallow and annihilate all other kingdomes, and bee the ſole Empire and Monarchy of the world. After this, very great men in the Church vponupon theſe words, of One thouſand yeares after the Reſurrection, hauehave immagin'd a Temporall Kingdome of the Saints of God heere vponupon Earth,Apo. 20. before they entred the ioyes of Heauen: and Saint Auguſtine himſelfe,De Ciuit. Dei 20.7. had at firſt ſome declinations towards that opinion, though he diſpute powerfully againſt it, after: That there ſhould bee Sabatiſmus in terris; that as the world was to laſt Sixe thouſand yeares in troubles, there ſhould be a Seuenth thouſand, in ſuch ioyes as this world could giuegive.
And ſome others, who hauehave auoided both the Temporall kingdome imagin'd by the Apostles, preſently after the Aſcention, And the Emperiall kingdome of the Iewes, before the Reſurrection, And the Carnall kingdome of the Chiliasts, the Millenarians, after the Reſurrection, though they ſpeake of no kingdome, but the true kingdome, the kingdome of glory, yet they erre as much in aſsigning a certaine time when that kingdome ſhall beginne, when the ende of this world, when the Reſurrection, when the Iudgement ſhall be. Non eſt vestrum noſſe tempora, ſayes Chriſt to his Apoſtles then; and leſt it might be thought, that they might know theſe things, when the Holy Ghoſt came vponupon them, Chriſt denies that he himſelfe knew that, as Man; and as Man, Chriſt knew more, then euer the Apoſtles knew. Whatſoeuer therefore Chriſt intended to his Apoſtles heere, hee would not giuegive it preſently, non adhuc, hee would not binde himſelfe to a certaine time, Non eſt veſtrum noſſe tempora, It belongs not to vsus to know Gods times.
Beloued, vſe godly means, and giuegive God his leiſure. You cannot beget a Sonne, and tell the Mother, I will hauehave this Sonne born within fiue Moneths; nor, when he is borne, ſay, you will hauehave him paſt daunger of Wardſhip within fiue yeares. You cannot ſowe your Corne to day, and ſay it ſhall bee aboue ground to morrow, and in my Barne next weeke. How ſoone the beſt Husbandman, ſow'd the beſt Seede in the beſt ground? GOD caſt the promiſe of a Meſsias, as the ſeede of all, in Paradiſe; In Semine Mulieris; The Seede of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head; and yet this Plant was Foure thouſand yeares after before it appeared; this Meſsias Foure thouſand yeares before he came. GOD ſhew'd the ground where that ſhould grow, Two thouſand yeares after the Promiſe; in Abrahams Family; In ſemine tuo, In thy Seed all Nations ſhall be bleſſed. God hedg'd in this Ground almoſt One thouſand yeares after that; In Micheas time, Et tu Bethlem, Thou Bethlem ſhalt bee the place; and God watered that, and weeded that, refreſhed that dry expectation, with a Succeſſion of Prophets, and yet it was ſo long before this expectation of Nations, this Meſsias came. So GOD promiſed the Iewes a Kingdome, in Iacobs Prophecie to Iuda, Gen. 49.That the Scepter ſhould not depart from his Tribe. In Two hundred yeares more, he ſaies no more of it;Deut. 17.14. then he ordaines ſome inſtitutions for their King, when they ſhould hauehave one. And then it was Foure hundred yeares after that, before they had a King. GOD meant from the firſt houre, to people the whole earth; and God could hauehave made men of clay, as faſt as they made Brickes of Clay in Egypt; but he began vponupon two, and when they had beene multiplying and repleniſhing the Earth One thouſand ſixe hundred yeares, the Flood waſhed all that away, and GOD was almoſt to begin againe vponupon eight perſons; and they hauehave ſeru'd to people Earth and Heauen too; Bee not you diſcouraged, if the Promiſes which you hauehave made to your ſelues, or to others, be not ſo ſoone diſcharg'd; though you ſee not your money, though you ſee not your men, though a Flood, a Flood of Bloud hauehave broken in vponupon them, be not diſcouraged. Great Creatures lye long in the Wombe; Lyons are litterd perfit, but Beare-whelpes lick'd vntounto their ſhape; actions which Kings vndertake, are caſt in a mould, they hauehave their perfection quickly; actions of priuate men, and priuate Purſes, require more hammering, and more filing to their perfection. OnelyOnly let your principall end, be the propagation of the glorious Goſpell: and though there bee an Excluſiue in the Text, GOD does not promiſe you a Kingdome, Eaſe, and Abundance in all things, and that which hee does intend to you, he does not promiſe preſently, yet there is an Incluſiue too; not that, But, but ſomething equiuolent at leaſt, But yee ſhall receiue power, after that the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon you, and yee ſhall be witneſſes vntounto me, both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth.
2. Part.
NOw our Sauiour Chriſt does not ſay to theſe men, ſince you are ſo importunate, you ſhall hauehave no Kingdome; now, nor neuer, tis, not yet; But, Sed.hee does not ſay, you ſhall hauehave no Kingdome, nor any thing elſe; tis, not that; But: the importunitie of beggers, ſometimes drawes vsus to ſuch a froward anſwer, For this importunitie, I will neuer giuegive you any thing. Our patterne was not ſo froward; hee gaue them not that, but as good as that. Samuel was ſent to ſuper-induct a King vponupon Saul, 1. Sam. 16.to annoint a new King. Hee thought his Commiſsion had been determined in Eliab, Surely this is the Lords Annointed. But the Lord ſaid, not hee; nor the next, Aminadab; nor the next, Shammah; nor none of the next ſeuen; But▪ but yet there is one in the field, keeping ſheepe, annoint him; Dauid is hee. Saint Paul prayed earneſtly, and frequently, to be diſcharged of that Stimulus Carnis: God ſayes no; not that; but Gratia mea ſufficit, Thou ſhalt hauehave grace to ouercome the tentation, though the tentation remaine. God ſayes to you, No Kingdome, not Eaſe, not Abundance; nay, nothing at all yet; the Plantation ſhall not diſcharge the Charges, not defray it ſelfe yet; but yet alreadie, now at firſt, it ſhall conduce to great vſes: It ſhall redeeme many a wretch from the Lawes of death, from the hands of the Executioner, vponupon whom, perchance a ſmall fault, or perchance a firſt fault, or perchance a fault heartily and ſincerely repented, perchance no fault, but mallice, had otherwiſe caſt a preſent and ignominious death. It ſhall ſweepe your ſtreetes, and waſh your doores, from idle perſons, and the children of idle perſons, and imploy them: and truely, if the whole Countrey were but ſuch a Bridewell, to force idle perſons to work, it had a good vſe. But it is alreadie, not onelyonly a Spleene, to drayne the ill humors of the body, but a Liuer, to breed good bloud; alreadie the imployment breedes Marriners; alreadie the place giues Eſſayes, nay, Fraights of Marchantable Commodities; alreadie it is a marke for the Enuie, and for the ambition of our Enemies; I ſpeake but of our Doctrinall, not Nationall Enemies: as they are Papiſts, they are ſorrie wee hauehave this Countrey; and ſurely, twentie Lectures in matter of Controuerſie doe not ſo much vexe them, as one Ship that goes, and ſtrengthens that Plantation. Neyther can I recommend it to you, by any better Rhetorique, then their mallice: They would gladly hauehave it, and therefore let vsus be glad to hold it.
Thus then this Text proceedes,Spiritus Sanctus. and gathers vponupon you. All that you would hauehave by this Plantation, you ſhall not hauehave: GOD bindes not himſelfe to meaſures; All that you ſhall hauehave, you hauehave not yet: GOD bindes not himſelfe to times, but ſomething you ſhall hauehave; nay, you hauehave alreadie ſome great things: and of thoſe, that in the Text is, The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come vponupon you. Wee finde the Holy Ghoſt to hauehave come vponupon men, foure times in this Booke: Firſt, vponupon the Apoſtles, Acts 2,1.at Pentecost: Then, when the whole Congregation was in prayer for the impriſonment of Peter and Iohn. 4,31.Againe, when Peter preached in Cornelius his houſe,10,44. the Holy Ghoſt fell vponupon all them that heard him. And fourthly, when Saint Paul laid his hands vponupon them,19,6. who had beene formerly baptized at Epheſus. At the three latter times it is euident, that the Holy Ghoſt fell vponupon whole and promiſcuous Congregations, and not vponupon the Apoſtles onelyonly: and in the firſt, at Pentecoſt, the contrarie is not euident; nay, the Fathers, for the moſt part, that handle that, concurre in that, that the Holy Ghoſt fell then vponupon the whole Congregation, men and women. The Holy Ghoſt fell vponupon Peter before hee preach'd, and it fell vponupon the hearers when hee preach'd, and it hath fallen vponupon eueryevery one of them, who hauehave found motions in themſelues, to propagate the Goſpell of Christ Ieſus by this meanes. The Sonne of GOD did not abhorre the Virgins Wombe, when hee would be made man; when hee was man, hee did not diſdaine to ride vponupon an Aſſe into Ieruſalem: the third Perſon of the Trinitie, the Holy Ghoſt, is as humble as the ſecond, hee refuſes Nullum vehiculum, no conueyance, no doore of entrance into you; whether the example and precedent of other good men, or a probable imagination of future profit, or a willingneſſe to concurre to the vexation of the Enemie; what collaterall reſpect ſoeuer drew thee in, if now thou art in, thy principall reſpect be the glorie of God; that occaſion, whatſoeuer it was, was vehiculum Spiritus Sancti; that was the Petard, that broke open thy Iron Gate; that was the Chariot, by which he entred into thee, and now hee is fallen vponupon thee, if thou doe not Depoſe; (lay aſide all conſideration of profit for euer, neuer to looke for returne) No, not Sopoſe, (leaue out the conſideration of profit for a time; for that, and Religion may well conſiſt together:) but if thou doe but Poſt-poſe the conſideration of Temporall gayne, and ſtudie firſt the aduancement of the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus, the Holy Ghost is fallen vponupon you; for by that you receiue Power, ſayes the Text.
There is a Power rooted in Nature, and a Power rooted in Grace; Poteſtatem.a Power iſſuing from the Law of Nations, and a Power growing out of the Goſpell. In the Law of Nature, and Nations, A Land neuer inhabited by any, or vtterly derelicted, and immemorially abandoned by the former Inhabitants, becomes theirs that will poſſeſſe it. So alſo is it, if the inhabitants doe not in ſome meaſure fill the Land, ſo as the Land may bring foorth her encreaſe for the vſe of men: for as a man does not become proprietarie of the Sea, becauſe hee hath two or three Boats fiſhing in it; ſo neyther does a man become Lord of a maine Continent, becauſe hee hath two or three Cottages in the Skirts thereof. That Rule which paſſes through all Municipall Lawes in particular States, Intereſt Reipublicae vt quis re ſua bene vtatur; The State muſt take order, that euerie man improoue that which he hath, for the beſt aduantage of that State, paſſes alſo through the Law of Nations, which is to all the World, as the Municipall Law is to a particular State: Intereſt Mundo. The whole World, all Mankinde muſt take care, that all places be emprou'd, as farre as may be, to the beſt aduantage of Mankind in generall. Againe, if the Land be peopled, and cultiuated by the people, and that Land produce in abundance ſuch things, for want whereof, their neighbours, or others (being not enemyes) periſh; the Law of Nations may iuſtifie ſome force, in ſeeking, by permutation of other Commodities which they neede, to come to ſome of theirs. Many caſes may be put, when not onelyonly Commerce, and Trade, but Plantations in Lands, not formerly our owne, may be lawfull. And for that, Accepiſtis poteſtatem, you hauehave your Commiſsion, your Patents, your Charters, your Seales from Him, vponupon whoſe Acts any priuate Subiect, in Ciuill matters, may ſafely relye. But then, Accipietis poteſtatem, You ſhall receiue power, ſayes the Text; you ſhall, when the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon you, that is, when the inſtinct, the influence, the motions of the Holy Ghoſt enables your Conſcience to ſay, That your principall end is not Gaine, nor Glory, but to gaine Soules to the glory of GOD; this ſeales the Great Scale, this iuſtifies Iuſtice it ſelfe, this authoriſes Authoritie, and giues power to Strength it ſelfe. Let the Conſcience be vpright, and then Seales, and Patents, and Commiſsions, are Wings; they aſſiſt him to flye the faſter: Let the Conſcience be lame, and diſtorted, and hee that goes vponupon Seales, and Patents, and Commiſsions, goes vponupon weake and feeble Crutches. When the Holy Ghoſt is come vponupon you, your Conſcience rectified, you ſhall hauehave Power, a new power out of that; what to doe? that followes, to bee Witneſſes vntounto Chriſt.
Teſtes.Infamie is one of the higheſt puniſhments that the Law inflicts vponupon man; for it lyes vponupon him euen after death: Infamie is the worſt puniſhment, and Inteſtabilitie (to be made intestable) is one of the deepeſt wounds of Infamie; and then the worſt degree of Intestabilitie, is not to be beleeued, not to be admitted to be a Witneſſe of any other: Hee is Inteſtable, that cannot make a Testament, not giuegive his owne goods; and hee Inteſtable, that can receiue nothing by the Teſtament of another; hee is Inteſtable, in whoſe behalfe no teſtimonie may be accepted: but he is the moſt miſerably Intestable of all, the moſt deteſtably inteſtable, that diſcredites another man, by ſpeaking well of him; and makes him the more ſuſpitious, by his commendations. A Chriſtian in profeſſion, that is not a Chriſtian in life, is ſo inteſtable, hee diſcredites Chriſt, and hardens others againſt him. Iohn Baptiſt was more then a Prophet, becauſe hee was a Witneſſe of Chriſt; and hee was a Witneſſe, becauſe hee was like him, hee did as hee did, hee lead a holy and a religious life; ſo hee was a Witneſſe. That great and glorious name of Martyr, is but a Witneſſe. Saint Stephen was Proto-martyr, Chriſts firſt Witneſſe, becauſe hee was the firſt that did as hee did, that put on his Colours, that drunke of his Cup, that was baptiſed with his Baptiſme, with his owne Bloud: ſo hee was a Witneſſe. To be Witneſſes for Chriſt, is to be like Chriſt; to conforme your ſelues to Chriſt: and they in the Text, and you, are to be Witneſſes of Chriſt in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth.
Saint Hierome notes, that Iohn Baptiſt was not bid to beare witneſſe in Ieruſalem, Jeruſalem.in the Citie, but in the Wilderneſſe; hee, and none but hee: there were but few men to witneſſe to, there; and thoſe few that were, came thither with a good diſpoſition, to be wrought vponupon there: and there there were few Witneſſes to oppoſe Iohns Teſtimonie, few Tentations, few worldly Allurements, few worldly Buſineſſes. One was enough for the Wilderneſſe; but for Ieruſalem, for the Citie, where all the excuſes in the Goſpell doe alwayes meete, they hauehave bought Commodities, and they muſt vtter them; they hauehave duchaſed Lands, and they muſt ſtate them, they hauehave married Wiues, and they muſt ſtudie them: to the Citie, to Ieruſalem, Chriſt ſends all his Apoſtles, and all little enough. Hee hath ſent a great many Apoſtles, Preachers, to this Citie; more then to any other, that I know Religious perſons, as they call them, Cloiſtered Friars, are not ſent to the Citie; by their firſt Canons, they ſhould not preach abroad: but for thoſe who are to doe that ſeruice, there are more in this Citie, then in others; for there are more Pariſh Churches heere, then in others. Now, beloued, if in this Citie you hauehave taken away a great part of the reuenue of the Preacher, to your ſelues, take thus much of his labour vponupon your ſelues too, as to preach to one another by a holy and exemplar life, and a religious conuerſation. Let thoſe of the Citie, who hauehave intereſt in the Gouernment of this Plantation, be Witneſſes of Chriſt, who is Truth it ſelfe, to all other Gouernours of Companies, in all true and iuſt proceedings: That as CHRIST ſaid to them who thought themſelues greateſt, Except you become as this little Child; ſo wee may ſay to the Gouernours of the greateſt Companies, Except you proceed with the integrity, with the iuſtice, with the cleareneſſe of your little Siſter, this Plantation, you doe not take, you doe not follow a good example. This is to beare witneſſe of Chriſt in Ieruſalem, in the Citie, to bee examples of Truth, and Iuſtice, and Cleareneſſe, to others, in, and of this Citie.
Iudaea.The Apoſtles were to doe this in Iudaea too, their ſeruice lay in the Countrey as well as in the Citie. Birds that are kept in Cages, may learne ſome Notes, which they ſhould neuer hauehave ſung in the Woods, or Fields; but yet they may forget their naturall Notes too. Preachers that binde themſelues alwayes to Cities, and Courts, and great Auditories, may learne new Notes; they may become occaſionall Preachers, and make the emergent affaires of the time, their Text, and the humors of the hearers, their Bible: but they may loſe their Naturall Notes, both the ſimplicitie and the boldneſſe that belongs to the Preaching of the Goſpel; both their power vponupon lowe Vnderſtandings, to rayſe them, and vponupon high Affections, to humble them They may thinke, that their Errand is but to knocke at the doore, to delight the eare, and not to ſearch the Houſe, to ranſacke the Conſcience. Chriſt left the Ninetie and nine for one Sheepe; populous Cities are for the moſt part, beſt prouided, remoter parts need our labour more, and wee ſhould not make ſuch differences. Yeoman, and Labourer, and Spinſter, are diſtinctions vponupon Earth, in the Earth; in the Graue there is no diſtinction. The Angell that ſhall call vsus out of that Duſt, will not ſtand to ſuruay, who lyes naked, who in a Coffin, who in Wood, who in Lead; who in a fine, who in a courſer Sheet: In that one day of the Reſurrection, there is not a fore-noone for Lords to riſe firſt, and an after-noone for meaner perſons to riſe after. Chriſt was not whipp'd, to ſaue Beggars; and crown'd with Thornes, to ſaue Kings; hee dyed, hee ſuffered all, for all: and wee (whoſe bearing witneſſe of him, is to doe as hee did) muſt conferre our Labours vponupon all; vponupon Ieruſalem, and vponupon Iudaea too; vponupon the Citie, and vponupon the Countrey too. You (who are his Witneſſes too) muſt doe ſo too; Preach in your iuſt actions, as to the Citie, to the Countrey too. Not to ſeale vp the ſecrets, and the myſteries of your buſineſſe within the boſome of Merchants, and exclude all others: to nouriſh an incompatibilitie betweene Merchants & Gentlemen; that Merchants ſhall ſay to them in reproach, You hauehave playd the Gentlemen; and they in equall reproach, You hauehave playd the Merchant: but as Merchants grow vp into worſhipfull Families, and worſhipfull Families let fall Branches amongſt Merchants againe; ſo for this particular Plantation, you may conſider Citie and Countrey to be one Body; and as you giuegive example of a iuſt Gouernment to other Companies in the Citie, (that's your bearing witneſſe in Ieruſalem;) ſo you may be content to giuegive Reaſons of your Proceedings, and Account of Moneyes leuied ouer the Countrey, for that's your bearing witneſſe in Iudaea.
But the Apoſtles Dioces is enlarged, farther then Ieruſalem, farther then Iudaea, Samaria.they are carried into Samaria; you must beare witneſſe of me in Samaria. Beloued, when I hauehave remembred you, who the Samaritans were, Men that had not renounced GOD, but mingled other gods with him, Men that had not burned the Law of GOD, but made Traditions of Men equall to it; you will eaſily gueſſe to whom I apply the name of Samaritans now. A Ieſuit hath told vsus (an ill Intelligencer I confeſſe, but euen his Intelligencer, the Deuill himſelfe, ſayes true ſometimes) Maldonate ſayes, the Samaritans were odious to the Iewes, vponupon the ſame grounds as Heretiques and Schiſmatiques to vsus; and they we know were odious to them, for mingling falſe gods, and falſe worſhips with the true. And if that be the Caracter of a Samaritan, wee know who are the Samaritans, who the Heretiques, who the Schiſmatiques of our times. In the higheſt reproach to Chriſt, the Iewes ſaid, Samaritanus es & Daemonium habes, Thou art a Samaritan, and haſt a Deuill. In our iuſt deteſtation of theſe Men, we iuſtly faſten both thoſe vponupon them. For as they delight in lyes, and fill the world with weekely rumors, Daemoniū habēt, they hauehave a Deuill, quia mendax eſt & pater eius. Iohn 8.44.As they multiply aſſaſſinats vponupon Princes, and Maſſacres vponupon people, Daemonium habent, they hauehave a Deuill, quia homicida ab initio: as they toſſe, and tumble, and diſpoſe kingdomes, Daemonium habent, they hauehave a Deuill, Math. 4.10.Omnia haec dabo was the Deuils complement: but as they mingle truthes and falſhoods together in Religion, as they carry the word of GOD, and the Traditions of Men, in an euen balance, Samaritani ſunt, they are Samaritanes. At firſt Christ forbad his Apoſtles, to goe into any Citie of the Samaritans; after,10.5. they did preach in many of them. Beare witneſſe firſt in Ieruſalem, Acts 8.25.and in Iudaea; giuegive good ſatisfaction eſpecially to thoſe of the houſehold of the Faithfull, in the Citie and Countrey, but yet ſatisfie euen thoſe Samaritans too.
They would be ſatisfied, what Miracles you work in Virginia, and what people you hauehave conuerted to the Chriſtian Faith, there. If wee could as eaſily call natural effects Miracles, or caſuall accidēts Miracles, or Magicall illuſions Miracles, as they do; to make a miraculous drawing of a Tooth, a miraculous cutting of a Corne; or, as Iuſtus Baronius ſayes, when he was conuerted to them, that he was miraculouſly cur'd of the Cholique, by ſtooping to kiſſe the Popes foot: If wee would pile vp Miracles ſo faſt as Pope Iohn 22. did in the Canonization of Aquinas, Tot Miracula confecit, quot determinauit quaeſtiones, hee wrought as many Miracles, as he reſolu'd Queſtions, wee might find Miracles too. In truth, their greateſt Miracle to me, is, that they find men to beleeue their Miracles. If they rely vponupon Miracles, they imply a cōfeſſion, that they induce new Doctrines; that that is old, & receiu'd, needs no Miracles: If they require Miracles, becauſe though that be ancient Doctrine, it is newly brought into thoſe parts, wee hauehave the confeſſion of their Ieſuit Acoſta, that they doe no Miracle in thoſe Indies; & he aſſignes very good reaſons, why they are not neceſſary, nor to be expected there. But yet beare witneſſe to theſe Samaritans, in the other point; labour to giuegive them ſatisfaction in the other point of their charge, What Heathens you hauehave conuerted to the Faith; which is that which is intended in the next, which is the laſt branch, You are to be witneſſes vntounto me both in Ieruſalem, and in all Iudaea, and in Samaria, and vntounto the vttermoſt parts of the Earth.
Literally,Fines terrae. the Apoſtles were to be ſuch Witneſſes for Chriſt: were they ſo? did the Apoſtles in perſon preach the Goſpel ouer all the World? I know that it is not hard to multiply places of the Fathers, in confirmation of that opinion, that the Apoſtles did actually and perſonally preach the Goſpell in all Nations,Math. 24.14. in their life. Chriſt ſaies, The Goſpell of the Kingdome ſhall be preached in all the World; and there he tels the Apoſtles, that they ſhall ſee ſomething done, after that; Therefore they ſhall liue to it. So hee ſaies to them,Marke 13.9. You ſhall be brought before Rulers and Kings for my ſake; but the Goſpell muſt firſt be publiſhed among all Nations: In one Euangeliſt there is the Commiſsion; Luke 24.47.Preach in my name to all Nations. And in another, the Execution of this Commiſsion, Marke 16.20.And they went and preached eueryevery where. And after the Apoſtle certifies, and returnes the execution of this Commiſſion,Col. 1.5. The Goſpell is come and bringeth forth fruit to all the world: and vponupon thoſe, and ſuch places, hauehave ſome of the Fathers beene pleaſed to ground their literall expoſition, of an actuall and perſonall preaching of the Apoſtles ouer all the world. But had they dream'd of this world which hath beene diſcouer'd ſince, into which, we diſpute with perplexitie, and intricacy enough, how any men came at firſt, or how any beaſts, eſpecially ſuch beaſts as men were not likely to carry, they would neuer hauehave doubted to hauehave admitted a Figure, in that,Luke 1.1. The Goſpell was preached to all the world; for when Auguſtus his Decree went out, That all the World ſhould bee taxed, the Decree and the Taxe went not certainly into the West Indies; when Saint Paul ſayes,Rom 1.8. That their Faith was ſpoken of throughout the whole World, 16.19.and that their obedience was come abroad vntounto all men, ſurely the Weſt Indies had not heard of the faith and the obedience of the Romanes. But as in Moſes time, they called the Mediterranean Sea, the great Sea, becauſe it was the greateſt that thoſe men had then ſeene; ſo in the Apoſtles time, they call'd that all the World, which was knowne and traded in then; and in all that, they preach'd the Goſpell. So that as Chriſt when hee ſaid to the Apoſtles; Mar. vlt. vlt.I am with you vntounto the end of the World, could not intend that of them in perſon, becauſe they did not laſt to the end of the World, but in a ſucceſſion of Apoſtolike men, ſo when he ſayes, the Apoſtles ſhould preach him to all the World, it is of the Succeſsion too.
Thoſe of our profeſſion, that goe; you, that ſend them who goe, doe all an Apoſtolicall Function. What Action ſoeuer hath in the firſt intention thereof a purpoſe to propagate the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus, that is an Apoſtolicall Action: Before the end of the World come, before this Mortalitie ſhall put on Immortalitie,Rom. 8. before the Creature ſhall be deliuered of the Bondage of Corruption vnderunder which it groanes, before the Martyrs vnderunder the Altar ſhall be ſilenc'd, before all things ſhall be ſubdued to Chriſt, his Kingdome perfited, and the laſt Enemie (Death) deſtroyed, the Goſpell muſt be preached to thoſe men to whom ye ſend; to all men. Further and haſten you this bleſſed, this ioyfull, this glorious conſummation of all, and happie re-vnion of all Bodies to their Soules, by preaching the Goſpell to thoſe men. Preach to them Doctrinally, preach to them Practically; enamore them with your Iuſtice, and (as farre as may conſiſt with your ſecuritie) your Ciuilitie; but inflame them with your Godlineſſe, and your Religion. Bring them to louelove and reuerence the name of that King, that ſends men to teach them the wayes of Ciuilitie in this World, but to feare and adore the Name of that King of Kings, that ſends men to teach them the wayes of Religion, for the next World. Thoſe amōgſt you, that are old now, ſhall paſſe out of this World with this great comfort, that you contributed to the beginning of that Common Wealth, and of that Church, though they liue not to ſee the growth thereof to perfection: Apollo watred,1. Cor. 3.6. but Paul planted, he that begun the worke, was the greater man. And you that are young now, may liue to ſee the Enemy as much impeached by that place, and your friends, yea Children, aſwell accommodated in that place, as any other. You ſhall hauehave made this Iland, which is but as the Suburbs of the old world, a Bridge, a Gallery to the new; to ioyne all to that world that ſhall neuer grow old, the Kingdome of Heauen, You ſhall adde perſons to this Kingdome, and to the Kingdome of Heauen, and adde names to the Bookes of our Chronicles, and to the Booke of Life.
To end all, as the Orators which declaimed in the preſence of the Roman Emperors, in their Panegyriques, tooke that way, to make thoſe Emperours ſee what they were bound to doe, to ſay in thoſe publique Orations, that thoſe Emperors had done ſo, (for that increaſed the louelove of the Subiect to the Prince, to be ſo told, that he had done thoſe great things, and then it conuayd a Counſell into the Prince to doe them after.) As their way was to procure things to be done, by ſaying they were done, ſo beloued I hauehave taken a contrary way: for when I, by way of exhortation, all this while hauehave ſeemed to tell you what ſhould be done by you; I hauehave, indeed, but told the Congregation, what hath beene done already: neither doe I ſpeake to moue a wheele that ſtood ſtill, but to keepe the wheele in due motion; nor perſwade you to begin, but to continue a good worke, nor propoſe forreigne, but your owne Examples, to doe ſtill, as you hauehave done hitherto. For, for that, that which is eſpecially in my contemplation, the conuerſion of the people, as I hauehave receiu'd, ſo I can giuegive this Teſtimonie, That of thoſe perſons who hauehave ſent in Moneyes, and conceal'd their Names, the greateſt part, almoſt all, hauehave limitted their Deuotion and Contribution vponupon that point, the propagation of Religion, and the conuerſion of the People; for the building and beautifying of the Houſe of GOD, and for the inſtruction and education of their young Children. Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe is yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for euer. In the aduancing of his Glory, be you ſo too, yeſterday, and to day, and the ſame for euer, here: and hereafter, when Time ſhall be no more, no more yeſterday, no more to day, yet for euer and euer you ſhall enioy that ioy, and that glorie, which no ill accident can attayne to diminiſh, or Eclipſe it.
PRAYER.
WE returne to thee againe, O GOD, with Prayſe and Prayer; as for all thy mercies from before Minutes began, to this Minute, from our Election, to this preſent Beame of Sanctification, which thou haſt ſhed vponupon vsus now: and more particularly, that thou haſt afforded vsus that great Dignitie, to be this way Witneſſes of thy Sonne Chriſt Ieſus, and Inſtruments of his Glorie. Looke graciouſly, and looke powerfully vponupon this Body, which thou haſt been now ſome yeeres in building and compacting together, this Plantation. Looke graciouſly vponupon the Head of this Body, our Soueraigne, and bleſſe him with a good diſpoſition to this Worke, and bleſſe him for that diſpoſition: Looke graciouſly vponupon them, who are as the Braine of this Body, thoſe who by his power counſaile, and aduiſe, and aſſiſt in the Gouernment thereof: bleſſe them with diſpoſition to Vnitie and Concord, and bleſſe them for that diſpoſition. Looke graciouſly vponupon them who are as Eyes of this Body, thoſe of the Clergie, who hauehave any intereſt therein: bleſſe them with a diſpoſition to preach there, to pray here, to exhort eueryevery where, for the aduancement thereof, and bleſſe them for that diſpoſition. Bleſſe them who are the Feet of this Body, who goe thither; and the Hands of this Bodie, who labour there; and them who are the Heart of this Body, all that are heartily affected, and declare actually that heartineſſe to this action; bleſſe them all with a cheereful diſpoſition to that, and bleſſe them for that diſpoſition. Bleſſe it ſo in this Calme, that when the Tempeſt comes, it may ride it out ſafely; bleſſe it ſo with Friends now, that it may ſtand againſt Enemies hereafter. Prepare thy ſelfe a glorious Harueſt there, and giuegive vsus leaue to be thy Labourers; That ſo the number of thy Saints being fulfilled, wee may with better aſſurance ioyne in that Prayer, Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly; and ſo meet all in that Kingdome which the Sonne of GOD hath purchaſed for vsus with the ineſtimable price of his incorruptible Bloud. To which glorious Sonne of GOD, &c. Amen.
FINIS.
Encaenia. THE FEAST OF DEDICATION. CELEBRATED AT LINCOLNES INNE, in a Sermon there vponupon Aſcenſion day, 1623. At the Dedication of a new Chappell there, Conſecrated by the Right Reuerend Father in God, the Biſhop of LONDON.
Preached by IOHN DONNE, Deane of St. PAVLS.
LONDON, Printed by AVG. MAT. for THOMAS IONES, and are to bee ſold at his Shop in the Strand, at the blacke Rauen, neere vntounto Saint Clements Church. 1623.
TO THE MASTERS OF THE BENCH, AND the reſt of the Honourable Societie of LINCOLNES INNE.
IT pleaſed you to exerciſe your intereſt in me, and to expreſſe your fauour to mee, in inuiting mee to preach this Sermon: and it hath pleaſed you to doe both ouer againe, in inuiting me to publiſh it. To this latter ſeruice I was the more inclinable, becauſe, though in it I had no occaſion to handle any matter of Controuerſie betweene vsus, and thoſe of the Romane Perſwaſion, yet the whole body and frame of the Sermon, is oppoſed againſt one peſtilent calumny of theirs, that wee hauehave cast off all diſtinction of places, and of dayes, and all outward meanes of aſſiſting the deuotion of the Congregation. For this vſe, I am not ſorry that it is made publique, for I ſhall neuer bee ſorry to appeare plainly, and openly, and directly, without diſguiſe or modification, in the vindicating of our Church from the imputations and calumnies of that Aduerſary. If it had no publique vſe, yet I ſhould ſatisfie my ſelfe in this, that it is done in obedience to that, which you may call your Request, but I ſhall call your Commandement vponupon
Your very humble Seruant in Chriſt Ieſus. IOHN DONNE.
The Prayer before the Sermon.
O Eternall, and moſt gracious God, Father of our Lord Ieſus Christ; and in him, of all thoſe that are his, As thou diddeſt make him ſo much ours, as that he became like vsus, in all things, ſinne onelyonly excepted, make vsus ſo much his, as that we may be like him, euen without the exception of ſinne, that all our ſinnes may bee buryed in his wounds, and drowned in his Blood. And as this day wee celebrate his Aſcenſion to thee, bee pleaſed to accept our endeauour of conforming our ſelues to his patterne, in rayſing this place for our Aſcenſion to him. Leane vponupon theſe Pinnacles, O Lord, as thou did diſt vponupon Iacobs Ladder, and hearken after vsus. Bee this thine Arke, and let thy Doue, thy bleſſed Spirit, come in and out, at theſe Windowes: and let a full pot of thy Manna, a good meaſure of thy Word, and an effectuall preaching thereof, bee euermore preſerued, and euermore bee diſtributed in this place. Let the Leprofie of Superſtition neuer enter within theſe Walles, nor the hand of Sacriledge euer fall vponupon them. And in theſe walles, to them that louelove Profit and Gaine, manifeſt thou thy ſelfe as a Treaſure, and fill them ſo; To them that louelove Pleaſure, manifeſt thy ſelfe, as Marrow and Fatneſſe, and fill them ſo; And to them that louelove Preferment, manifeſt thy ſelfe, as a Kingdome, and fill them ſo; that ſo thou mayeſt bee all vntounto all; giuegive thy ſelfe wholly to vsus all, and make vsus all wholly thine. Accept our humble thanks for all, &c.